IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I S Ui 110 11.25 1.8 U lil.6 7 A 7. ^0 Md f/j f/. Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 1 4580 (716) 872-4503 ;^v 4i>^ \\ ^ VV"Q #^ ^ "l^" ,A '^v A3 PREFACE. ^ HTHE OBJECT of the writer in publishing this pamphlet is three-fold: (1) \w the hope of awakening the Christian people to the absolute need of doing something in the way of pro- viding for the preservation of the teeth of the children of the poor. (2) To give school-children, in general, a chance to save their teeth with as little suffering and expense as possible. (3) To improve the health of the children of the schools. The object of the dentist should be TO Pf^EVENT SUFFERING rather than to relieve it. • If the publishing of this pamphlet should have that effect, then the writer will not be sorry that he has passed through the very trying and discouraging experiences which he has met with in his efforts to bring about a much-needed reform. The pamphlet is the outcome of the opposition to such reform. It is written free from technical terns so that al! may understand it. J, G. ADAMS, L» D. S. TORONTO, May 11th, 1896. It has AUTHOR»S REMARKS. pnlet [0 the f pro- ildren ) save ise as chools. EVENT :e that assed which needed to such that ai; D.S. D It will be seen by the headlines and foh'os of the latter {jart of this book that it has been i)rinted from plates belonging to another book that I have published under the title of "A Strange Experience in a Strange City," being a history of this reform and the first Dental Hospital in the world for the preservation of the teeth of poor children. No person can read the facts it con- tains without being convinced of the truth of that adage, "History is constantly re[)eating itself." Let me ask. Does it not seem strange that all reforms for the good of humanity should receive their strongest opposition from those who above all others should be the most interested in advancing them ? Another noticeable fact in the his- tory of reforms is that (iod uses this very opposition to accomplish his purpose. This will be seen in a very marked manner in this case. A few years ago, when I began advocating this reform, as far as human help was concerned I stood alone, and by some persons I was called a "crank," and the reform I was advocating was pronounced a fad that ought to be frowned down However, the difficulties that 1 had to face, instead of discouraging me, forced me out of Toronto to investigate the condition of children's teeth in other cities. The result of this is, that instead of my mission work being confined to Toronto and to the care of a few thousand of poor ':hildren in that city, (lod has enlarged the mission field so that it now takes in the whole continent, for He is sending me out everywhere to protest against the present heathenish and i7ihu?fian custom of extracting I)ermanent teeth out of the jaws of young children. The reading of the facts in this book has reversed public opinion, so that now this reform, instead of being called a fad^ is acknowledged to be one of the most important sanitary and humane reforms of the nineteenth century. It has been endorsed by the Toronto Trades and Labor >„ AU'J" H O K S RE M ARKS. Council, the Toronto Dental Society, the Toronto Public Press, the Ontario Provincial Hoard of Health, the Hamilton Woman's Council, the Michigan State Dental Convention, the Ontario l^vastern Dental Convention, and it is now being advocated by the 'Poronto Public School Board, who have lately [)etitioned the Ontario Legislature for the enactment of a law, giving the School l^oards the power to require all school-children to have their teeth examined before entering school, and also twice during the year. This is very encouraging indeed, but still it will be perhaps a year before such a law can be put into opera- tion, during that time hundreds of thousands of valuable permanent teeth in the mouths of the school children of Canada will be lost to the children forever, just because their parents are not aware of their true condition. The question now arises, how to get these books before the parents in the cities and towns before the summer holidays, so that they can get their children's teeth filled during the holidays, and while the days are long and much of the work can be done after school before dark. My family and I have spent many thousands of dollars trying to save the teeth of the poor children of Toronto, therefore, if we have valued their teeth so high, surely every parent should be interested enough in their own children to buy a copy of this book, containing valuable information on children's teeth. School boards and teachers also should be interested in having the book placed in the homes of their school children, and thus help this reform along. The price of the book is but a trifle, and the; proceeds from the sale are for the suffering poor. The Hamilton School Board have in a practical way shown their interest in the subject, by inviting me to give them a talk on school children's teeth, and by order- ing copies of this book for each of the members of their board, the inspector and principal of each of their city schools. have and child mind to yo one t ( unive teeth Public 1, the Dental inlion, Public )ntario School o have id also will be » opera- aluable dren of because 1. The fore the 5ummer th filled d much rk. • dollars 'oronto, 1, surely leir own valuable rds and le book ind thus is but a suffering practical ng me to by order- of their their city I i SCHOOL-CHILDREN'S TEETH: Their Universally Unhealthy and Neglected Condition. RV J. a ADAMS, U D. S. TORONTO. 5) to parents and others who are interested in children : In the closing years of this nineteenth century I am sure you do not wish to be kept in ignorance of any danger that threatens the health and prospects of the rising generation. Moreover, I am sure you do not believe in that old adage : " Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise." I therefore wish to lay before you some facts which I have gathered from experietice and perso?ial observation and investii^ation in reference to the sad condition of children's permanent teeth of the present day. To my mind there is no subject that should be of more interest to you than this, whether viewed from a parental^ sani- tary^ edncatioiial^ scientific or humane standpoint ; it is one that is thrillim^ with interest. On this subject very little has been written ; but the universally unhealthy and neglected condition of children's teeth is such that silence on my part, knowing their con- SCHOOL-CHILDREN S TKKTH. dition, as I do, would be criminal ; for very few parents nre aware of the wholesale sacrifice of their children's permanent teeth, as they suppose that the teeth that are aching are \\-\ol-rooms are constructed makes it impossible to properly ventilate them, particularly during the six months when a fire is required, and when economy of fuel and fear of draughts compel the windows to be closed. If you could find a room where all the children are clean, and their teeth and mouths in a healthy con- dition, still the air would soon become more or less foul. But such favorable conditions cannot be found ; for in every school-room there are large numbers of children whose mouths are in the diseased condition I have de- scribed, giving out foul gases, than which nothing can be more vile. This is not all. These children, as I have shown, are not able to masticate their food properly, the result being indigestion, dyspepsia, and alimentary troubles, causing a superabundant quantity and quality of vile gases, generated from the un masticated, undigested, de- composing foods in the stomach of so many of these children. These gases are constantly passing from them to foul the air, which your children and the teachers have to breathe for six hours a day ; and remember that this air is heated up and breathed over and over again, and is always getting viler as the hours pass by. Allow THEIR EARLY AND RAPID DECAY. 13 terest to our own y do not My reply ihed this teachers ijured by i. Your side with same cup ity. id school- children The way mpossible g the six onomy of ws to be 3 children althy con- • less foul, id ; for in children have de- ng can be as I have )perly, the y troubles, ty of vile jested, de- of these rom them i teachers mber that )ver again, y. Allow me, on this subject, to again refer to Dr. Rose's admirable paper, in which he says : "The first sanitary care, as is known, in the construction of a new school building at the present day, is devoted to the question of fresh and wholesome air." " Every dentist," he says, "knows the shocking odors which a single person with an unclean condition of the mouth is capable of exhaling. Now imagine fifty to eighty school children exhaling such pestilential odors, packed together in a more or less small room with defective ventilation, and you have the condition as it exists in many of the German village schools which I examined." He further says that he has often pitied the teachers who daily for six hours are compelled to inhale this pestiferous air. Let me here say that his description of the air in the German schools is not worse than I have found it in some of the city schools I have visited. On this subject of school ventilation, it seems to me that one of the most common-sense ways of removing the great difficulty in ventilation is not to allow the children to bring any more ^/tA into the school-room than can possibly be avoided. So much for the air your children have to breathe for six hours a day during five days of the week ; but that is not all the poison they receive from these children. In order to make this more clear to you, I will give you the history of a neglected tooth. The history of this tooth is one of interest for several reasons : First, because of the legal action it incurred and the decision given ; second, for the effect on the owner of the tooth ; third, for the hundreds of dollars it cost the taxpayers of the city in which it transpired ; and last, dut no} leasts for the practical lessons that may be learned from its h'^^ory. This noted tooth was a right inferior, permanent molar, belonging to an eight-year-old boy named Fred Gee, who lived with his parents on King St. in the city of Toronto. Fred was often troubled with this molar, particularly 14 SCHOOL-CHILDREN S TEETH. at night after going to bed, which is generally the case with a person trouijled with an abscessed tooth. So much was Fred troubled that he could not sleep. His mother tried all the customary remedies to give him relief, expecting that the tooth would soon drop out, never suspecting that it was a permanent tooth. Instead of its getting better, it got worse ; then the family physician was called in. He prescribed a linseed poultice to be applied on the face ; this caused the abscess, which was forming, to point on the outside of the face. A day or two after, the physician called and lanced it, leaving the tooth, which was the cause of the trouble, still in the mouth, the result being that instead of Fred's face healing up, the pus continued to discharge. The children of the school thought that P>ed had some contagious disease and objected to sitting in the same room with him. The parents of these children complained too about it, and Fred was sent home from school and not allowed to return. The pus continued to discharge for more than a year, and would have con- tinued to do so for years longer, had it not been that another physician was called in to see one of the other children who was sick. His attention was called to the condition of Fred's face, and he was told that the pus had been discharging for more than a year, that Fred was not allowed to attend school on that account, and that the other physician had frequently told them that it would be dangerous to heal it up, as it would be almost sure to cause blood-poisoning, and perhaps end in the death of the child. Let me stop here to say that this is a very common belief, even among well-educated people as well as among some of the old-time physicians, as it was in this case ; and for that reason abscesses are allowed to continue to discharge for years. I am constantly meeting with such cases, where young girls and boys are being disfigured for life from the effects of having their faces poulti cases chiefs pearai the til health glecte( diseas( ness C) any d( his pr perienc do not sultatic would and di mistakt times t Las the Dei abscess very mi chargin: four ye continu not onl She sai( abscess, blood-pi said tha she cou] ance, sh years to her teetl the trou discharg I THEIR EARLY AND RAPID DECAY. 15 the case ith. So p. His ive him :op out, Instead family linseed sed the outside n called le cause It being jntinued [ght that to sitting children [Oie from jntinued ive con- een that e other to the he pus lat Fred unt, and n that it almost in the this is a eople as it was in Dwed to meeting e being ;ir faces poulticed, and the abscesses left to discharge for years — cases where young women have had to wear handker- chiefs on their faces for years, to cover the disgusting ap- pearance of the abscesses. I have a very serious case at the time of writing this, — a case where a young woman's health is being wrecked, through having thus been ne- glected, until a large portion of the jaw has become diseased. If any person doubts the frequency or serious- ness of such neglected abscesses, I would refer them to any dentist who has had a lengthened experience in his profession. In a city where there are many ex- perienced dentists, it seems to me strange that physicians do not oftener call in one of these dentists for con- sultation. It could not possibly do any harm, and would often save their patients unnecessary suffering and disfigurement, as alveolar abscesses are very often mistaken for tuberculous troubles, with which they some times become complicated. Last winter a poor woman brought her daughter into the Dental Hospital to have a tooth filled. I found an abscess on the side of her face which was disfiguring her very much. I asked ner mother how long it had been dis- charging. She said that it had been so discharging for four years. I asked her why she allowed her child to continue so long in such a diseased condition, as it was not only disfiguring her, but was injuring her health. She said that every person to whom she had shown the abscess, had told her that it would be sure to cause blood-poisoning if it were healed up. The girl herself said that the odor from it was something awful, and that she could hardly bear it herself, and yet, through ignor- ance, she had been compelled night and day for four years to inhale this foul and poisonous gas. I examined her teeth and found that a dead root was the cause of the trouble, and so, removed it, and in a short time the discharge ceased, a.id her face healed up. The simple i6 school-children's tketh. remedy is to take out the dead tooth or root that is the cause of the abscess, and the trouble (if not compUcated by necrosis of tlie jaw, which very often happens when neglected too long), will soon cease, as I will show was the case with Fred. But to return to my story : We left Fred with the new physician, who was diagnosing his case. He found, first, that there was an abscess on the face, discharging pus, just below the inferior maxillary bone, and that in the mouth there was a badly decayed inferior molar tooth, with the nerve pulp dead, close by the fistulous opening on the face ; second, that the tooth had often ached at night (not in the daytime), showing that the pain was not caused by a live, exposed nerve pulp ; third, that his face had been poulticed to relieve the pain in the tooth, and that as soon as the poultice had drawn the abscess to a head, and it had been lanced, the pain ceased, and though the tooth had remained in the jaw over a year, yet, as the pus had continued to dis- charge, the tooth had given him no more pain. So he decided that the tooth was the cause of the abscess, and consequently extracted it. One of the roots was black, rough and much absorbed, showing clearly that he had correctly diagnosed the case. The after-results also prove this, for in two weeks after it had been removed the pus ceased to flow, and Fred's face healed up, and though two years have passed since then it has not dis- charged any more. I saw Fred a few weeks after the tooth had been extracted, and in company with another dentist, who like myself had met with and treated many such patients with abscesses on their faces of long stand- ing, caused by neglected teeth. This dentist spoke very highly of the new physician, who, though a young man, had shown that he understood his profession. You will no doubt think that as Fred's face is now healed up we have come to the end of this history ; but not so. THEIR EARLY AND RAPID DECAY. 17 mt is the iiplicated sns when show was with the ^e found, ischarging id that in ior molar J fistulous had often g that the 3rve pulp; relieve the mltice had en lanced, mained in ued to dis- in. So he jscess, and was black, lat he had esults also n removed ed up, and as not dis- after the .th another eated many long stand- spoke very ^oung man, You will healed up but not so. Though this new physician had given Fred a certificate to go to school, saying that he was all right and that he had no contagious disease, yet the certificate was not accepted, and Fred was again sent home broken-hearted, the result being that his father entered an action against the Public School Board for damages, claiming that the cliild was being deprived of his education, and that his l)usiness, too, was being injured by it being reported at the school that Fred had a contagious disease which deterred his customer*^ from buying groceries at his store. The School Boara engaged eminent counsel to defend the suit, which came before a learned judge. The defence claimed that it was dangerous to the other children in the school to have Frtd there with an abscess discharging pus on his face. A number of physicians were called on for the defence. They all agreed that it was not safe for him to be in the school, as there was a possibility that some of the pus miglit come in contact with a cut or scratch on the person of some of the other children, and thus cause blood-poisoning. One doctor said that some of the pus might drop on the floor, and, when dried, that some of the germs in it might be circulated in the air of the room, and thus come in contact with a cut or scratch on some of the children. The evidence they gave was so clear that His Honor, without sending it to the jury, gave judgment in favor of the School Board, saying that the Board had done right in suspending the child in the interests of the other children of the school. The costs of the court, $364.00, was assessed to Fred's father, and to collect which the bailiff was sent ' seize the household and grocery effects; but, as these bel">.jged to Fred's mother, he could not take thcim. T;.. icsult was that the taxpayers of the city pa d the costs. Of course the taxpayers of Toronto never think anything of a small bill like that, as they are so used to paying large ones ! i8 school-children's teeth. NoWj I think you will admit that the history of this neglected tooth ' • unique indeed. My object in giving it is, that we ma; aw lessons from it which, I trust, will be of use to the Ciiildren of our schools, and will prove to you that it does make a great difference to you whether your neighbors take care of their children's teeth or not. My first point is this : If it was dangerous (and it was settled by law that it was) to have a child sitting in the school with an abscess discharging pus on the outside of his face, though it was where it could be seen and avoided, how much greater must be the danger your children, and all the children of this Dominion of Canada are in, when I tell you that in every school there is not simply one child, but many children, not with one abscess, but with many abscesses, not on the outside of the face, where they can be seen and avoided, like Fred's, but concealed in the mouths of outwardly clean and well-dressed children, like your own. In the mouths of these children 1 have seen large quantities of vile, poison- ous pus, from their dead, abscessed teeth and roots, which are continually gathering and discharging in their mouths every time they take cold. This they frequently spit on the floor, to dry up and mix with the air of the room for your children to breathe. There are thousands of such children in the well-to-do schools in Toronto, the condition of whose teeth is a disgrace to a city claiming to be civilized ! The principal of one of our best schools told me that there were many such children in his school belonging to wealthy families, but that he did not dare to say anything to them for fear of giving offence, adding, however, that he always tried to keep as far from them as possible. Other teachers have told me the same thing, and thanked me for the effort I was making to bring about a reform ; so you see it is not from the condition of the children of the poor only that your children are in danger. i 1 of this 1 giving ust, will il prove whether I or not. 1 it was g in the jtside of een and Ter your inion of ool there with one (Utside of :e Fred's, lean and louths of 3, poison- id roots, 5 in their requently AY of the Ihousands Toronto, :o a city me that mging to anything jver, that possible. thanked reform ; children danger. This girl came to the Den- tal Hospital suffering wilh a tumorous growth on licr face, caused by an abscessed tooth similar to that of Fred's. She told me that it had been dis- charging for two years, and that she had been to the (ieneral Hospital where the surgeon in charge placed her upon an operating table, and then hav- ing explained to the students (by way of a clinic)^ll about the tumor, he cut it off and said that it would not return. However, instead of getting better and not returning^ it got worse than before, the conse- quence being that the patient was not able to attend school for two years. When I examined her mouth I found that the tumorous growth was caused by the roots of a lower tooth which a physician had attempted to extract but had broken. I showed this child to two of the physicians of the school board, who agreed with me that the growth on her face was caused by the abscessed roots. One of the physicians kindly gave her chloroform and I extracted the roots, the result being that in two weeks time the abscess healed up and gave her no more trouble. She was from the same school as Fred Gee, whose neglected tooth cost the taxpayers of Toronto $364.00. FKED GEE. Ji 1 8/^ This fatherless child was sent into the Dental Hospi- tal by the principal of one of our city schools. Like the last mentioned child she had a large tumorous growth which was discharging on the under side of her lower jaw, the re- sult of a neglected tooth. As in the case of each of the other children, her physician had pre- scribed a poultice for the face, and after the abscess had formed had lanced it, leaving the tooth still in the mouth. The child's mother told me that the physician had oeen treating the tumorous growth on her face for six months, and had prescribed cod liver oil to build up her system, which was being run down by the discharging abscess. In this case, as in the others, I extracted the abscessed tooth. This photo' of her was taken four months after the tooth was extracted. Her plump face speaks for itself, and shows conclusively that she no longer needs cod liver oil. These illustrations, I think, are enough to show the folly of applying poultices to the face. The better way would be to roast a fig, cut it open, and apply the inside portion of it to the swollen gum near the diseased tooth, This will bring the abscess to a head inside the mouthy and avoid disfigurement of the face. This treatment is only applicable in cases where the gums begin to swell tin th( is In] tri THEIR KARI.Y AND RAIMI) DECAY. 19 he physician r face for six build up her discharging ixtracted the iths after the for itself, and , cod liver oil. to show the le better way Dly the inside seased tooth, he mouthy and tment is only swell These children of whom T have been speaking are more or less feverish, and often go to the drinking-cup to (juench their thirst. On the edge of the cup they leave more or less of this poisonous pus. Your children, not suspecting any danger, follow them, and put the same edge of the cup to their lij)s. If they happen (and they often do) to have a cold-sore, crack or pimple on their lips, there is danger of inoculation ; but, if there is no danger from blood-poisoning, the thought of your children drinking out of the same cup that these children have fouled is disgusting enough. Hut this is not all the danger to which your children are exposed, for you know the universal custom children have of chevvnng gum. l,ittle children often lend their gum to their playmates, and it sometimes passes to the mouths of several children, where it is crunched into these vile, hollow, abscessed teeth, and mixed with the poisonous pus. The thought of your clean, innocent little children taking this gum and placing it in their mouths is sickening indeed, and yet this is being done every day all over this continent. When visiting the schools in the Eastern cities I noticed, just before going into one of them, that a number of the children outside were chewing gum. After I had examined the teeth of the children in this school, the principal asked me to say a few words to the children on the importance of taking good care of their teeth, and in speaking to them I asked how many of them were in the hal)it of chewing gum. Immediately the hand of every child went up, showing how prevalent is this custom. Is it not time that something practical was done to prevent this wholesale sacrifice of the children's teeth ? Instead of trying to relieve pain and heal disease the true sanitarian, by anticipation, goes before it, crying: " Halt ! You cannot enter here ! " Since it has been proved by practical experience that the strict enforcement ^3l 20 school-children's teeth. of sanitary laws, though they may often seem harsh, has greatly improved the general health and saved valuable lives, why should it be considered a "/<7d^" v/hen I advocate sanitary reform in reference to the teeth ? I wish here to call attention to this fact, that in refer- ence to the other parts of ttie human system, when they become diseased, Dame Nature comes to their aid and tries to relieve them, but not so with the teeth of the present day. When they become diseased she leaves them to go to destruction, though she has done this much, she has placed them in a position where they can be seen and their condition watched withojt difficulty, if their owners have enough common-sense to do so. In i:.ngland they are waking up in earnest, and in many of their training schools they are not only examin- ing the teeth of the children, but arc employing dentists to fill them. They will not receive applicants who have decayed teeth to either the civil or the postal service, and they are very strict in their examinations, for they say : " If the teeth are bad their health will break down, and they will be placed too soon on the pension list." They have established Dental Hospitals, where the poor may have their teeth cared-for. I find, too, that the Toronto Hospitals will not accept of applicants for the position of nurse unless their teeth are in first-class order. The same rule is being applied in the case of applicants for positions on the police force. In England, just a few months ago, there were many thousands of fine, well- built men who had offered their services for the Army rejected because their teeth were bad. Unless some- thing is done immediately, there will not be one Cana- dian boy in a thousand who, when he arrives at man- hood, would be able to take a position in the British army, or even a position in our police force, and it will be impossible for girls to get positions in the hospitals as nurses. Ch set.-'' a six-y in add M larsh, has I valuable ' when I :h? t in refer- rhen they r aid and 2th of the he leaves done this they can difficulty, io so. 3t, and in y examin- ig dentists who have jrvice, and they say : iown, and t." They poor may Toronto )Osition of er. The icants for ust a few ne, well- le Army 3ss some- )ne Cana- at man- le British nd it will hospitals 20 f I Children have only twenty teeth in their first'^or'!" milk set." These two cuts show the upper and under jaws of a six-year-old child, with the sixth-year permanent molars in addition to the deciduous or first teeth. CA < n 6) •1 s o 20.9 This cut gives a side view of the face of an adult, showing how the teeth are supplied with nerves, a brancl^, entering each root and acting as "sentinels" to givr wp.rning of impending danger. *T .u u S t .Ji THEIR EARLY AND RAPID DECAY. 21 of an adult, ^es, a branch. els" to givi' It is one thing to diagnose a disease ; the next thing is to provide and adopt a remedy. The only remedy at present is to fill the teeth as soon as they commence to decay, long before the nerve pulp has been exposed or the tooth has ached, and while it can be done at one sitting. But just here comes the great difficulty, which doubly increases the seriousness of the evil. The parents, even among the well-educated, are not aware that their children's teeth that are aching are their permanent teeth^ until they take them to their dentist to have their teeth extracted, and then, to their surprise, find that they are permanent teeth and past all hope of being saved. It is often pitiable to see the sorrow of these parents when told that their children's teeth, which are past being filled, are permanent teeth, and that they will have to be extracted. Ask any dentist, and he will tell you how hard it is to convince parents that such teeth are really permanent teeth. Their universal reply is : "No; surely it cannot be, for they have no; shed them yet !" They do not know that they get their first permanent molar teeth at six years of age, but think these molars are the last of their temporary teeth and will have to be shed that new teeth may take their place. The result of the parents not knowing in time that their children's per- manent teeth are decaying is twofold : First, these neglected sixth-year molars, after having caused excru- ciating pain often for weeks and months before the children are taken to the dentist, are lost to the children for all time in masticating their food and have to be cruelly wrenched out from their delicate jaws, causing the children great terror and pain, and often danger of dislocation of their tender and delicate jaws. I have sometimes been in perfect terror when extracting s. ch teeth for fear of dislocating the jaw, the teeth were so hard to extract and the jaws so delicate in comparison. Secondly, these teeth, having been left in the mouth SQ ^ i 22 SCHOOL-CHILDREN'S TEETH. long in this decayed condition, have decayed the new bicuspids and the twelfth-year molars, which are per- manent teeth. Thus the mouth is soon full of cor- ruption, each decaying tooth acting on the other, and the food not being masticated injures the stomach, and the acids from it in return act injuriously on the teeth, and they thus acting and re-acting on each other the whole system is soon deranged and left an easy prey to any virulent microbe-germs with which the children may come in contact ; their blood, being impure, cannot give them vitality enough to withstand these deadly germs. If the majority of educated parents make such mis- takes in reference to their children's permanent teeth, what can be expected of the ignorant poor ? ! This will partly explain the great difficulty I have had for many years in reaching the children of the poor in time to save many of their teeth. This difficulty has made the hospital work exceedingly discouraging. The only re ward which I receive for the work done, and the hun- dreds of dollars expended, is the satisfaction of knowing that the children of the poor, by having their teeth cared for, will not only be saved from unnecessary suffering, but that they will grow up strong and be better prepared to combat with the difficulties of life. But, though I have tried every way I could think of to overcome this difficulty, my efforts, as far as the thousands of poor child- ren v/ho were scattered through the different schools of the city is concerned, has been largely a failure ; for they do not come into the Hospital until they are driven in by toothache, and many of their teeth are abscessed and past being saved, and their mouths in the disgusting con- dition I have described, making the work of saving their teeth not only unpleasant, but very difficult and unne- cessarily expensive, requiring as much 7naterial and time to save one of these bad teeth as would be required to save from ten to twenty teeth, if got in time ; besides, I ^ed the new lich are per- full of cor- iher, and the ich, and the le teeth, and er the whole prey to any en may come ot give them rms. ce such mis- lanent teeth, > ! This will id for many time to save s made the rhe only re ,nd the hun- 1 of knowing r teeth cared iry suffering, ter prepared It, though I /ercome this f poor child- it schools of re ; for they re driven in scessed and gusting con- saving their t and unne- 'ial and tifne required to ne ; besides. o X In O M O o O .,.;*« new r' ffrjfJ.'^y.-i ^g^. ' ^^g% ^^- i: DENTAL HOSPITALS FOR THE POOR. 23 when the work is done, it docs not do the children the good for which I am spending both time and money. I have none of this difficulty, however (as far as the children are concerned), in the Charitable "Homes" and the Elizabeth Street School, which is called "the ragged school," the only public school on this continent where the children's teeth are systematically examined twice a year and kept in a sanitary condition. The other schools cared for belong to the Charitable Institutions, as The l)oys' Home, The Girls' Home, The Orphans' Home, 'I'he Girls' Industrial, The Boys' Industrial, The Rescue, Newsboys' Home, Bethany Orj)hanage, and The Creche. Some years ago I began the sys'em of visiting twice a year these children in their respective schools, in order to examine their teeth, and those whose teeth needed to be cared for were sent into the Dental Hospital to me, wliere my assistants cared for and filled their teeth, under my supervision. The carrying out of this system in these schools has made the preservation of these children's teeth a great success, for we never (except when some new children come in from some of the other schools of the city), have to treaty cap, or destroy a nerve in their teeth, or extract a permanent tooth. The teeth being filled while the cavities are very small, the whole work is done at one sitting, and the children are not required to be absent from the school for more than two half-days in the year. Nor are they kept out of school for days or weeks, unable to eat, study or play, suffering from tooth- ache and neuralgia, like the children in the well-to-do schools in the cities of our land, as the following reports which I here give from some of the city schools of Toronto, Hamilton, London, Guelph, Montreal, Quebec and Ottawa, will show: (The statistics of the Toronto, Hamilton, London and Guelph schools were obtained for me through the courtesy of the Public School Inspectors of those cities ) 24 PUBLIC SCHOOL INSPECTION. TORONTO SCHOOLS. Name of School. Wellesley Kyerson Dufferin Gladstone Avenue Huron Street. . . Parkdale Lansdowne. Church Street . . . Clinton Street. . . Phoebe Street . . . Manning Avenue. Jesse Ketchum . . Park Louisa Street. . , . Total No. of Children Ek- aniined. 8l6 912 1 1 30 605 748 806 1067 617 376 610 .571 H15 832 326 9231 No. of Children who at times were Unable to Sleep at nij^ht, Suffering from Toothache or Neuralgia. 396 437 513 244 375 430 373 301 195 230 208 435 354 158 4649 No. of Children Detained from School for Days or Weeks with Toothache or Neuralgia. 191 252 216 58 148 149 232 106 72 100 89 183 156 60 2012 TORONTO SUBURBAN AND VILLAGE SCHOOLS. Name of School. No. of Children Ex- amined. No. of Children who at times were Unable to Sleep at night, Suffering from Toothache or Neuralgia. No. of Children Detained from School for Days or Weeks with Toothache or Neuralgia. Eglinton 174 105 142 109 55 67 41 25 49 Deer l^ark Davisville Total 421 231 115 DENTAL HOSPITALS FOR THE POOR. 25 o. of Children Detained from hool for Days or "Weeks ith Toothache or HAMILTON SCHOOLS. Neuralgia. Name of School i i No. of ! Children lOx- amined. No. of Children No. of Children who at times were Detained from Unable to Sleep at School for Days or night, Sufferin;-;- | Weeks from Toothache or with Toothache or Neuralgia. Neuralgia. 191 252 216 58 148 149 232 106 72 100 89 183 Barton Street Picton Street ' Wellington Street. West Avenue Mary Street Hughson Street.. . Rverson 308 357 360 393 146 85 755 178 60 434 167 183 195 106 143 370 599 637 C87 520 1 172 144 260 230 87 45 361 69 43 197 III 120 52 44 87 186 319 225 361 306 114 99 116 144 59 6 216 156 60 Hannah Mountain Avenue. Central School . , . Main Street Pearl Street Hunter Street Sophia 36 28 84 2012 35 66 II I SCHOOLS. 23 48 125 Market Street Murray Street Victoria , . Hess Street Queen Victoria . . . Cannon Street. . . No. of Children Detained from school for Days or Weeks vith Toothache or Neuralgia. 176 129 144 150 Total G683 3419 iSii 41 25 49 115 26 PUBLIC SCHOOL INSPKCTION, LONDON SCHOOLS. No. of Children No. of Children No. of who at times were Det.iined from Children Unable to Sleep at School for Days or Namk of School. Kx ni^fht, SufYerinjjT Weeks ami lied. from Toothache or with Toothache or NeuralKia- Neuralgia. Rectory Street. . . . 286 190 103 Askin Street 340 i6i 60 Aberdeen School. 342 275 112 Maple Avenue 159 83 40 Lome Avenue .... 217 180 102 King Street 113 57 29 Talbot Street 338 217 96 St. George's 288 169 «3 Chesley Avenue . . 94 59 34 Princess Avenue . 513 212 135 Total 2690 1603 794 GUELPH SCHOOLS. Name of School, No. of Children Ex- amined. No. of Children who at times were Unable 10 Sleep at night, Suffering from Toothache or Neuralgia. No. of Children Detained from School for Days or Weeks with Toothache or Neuralgia. Went worth Street. St. John's Ward St. George's Ward Central 479 176 351 727 204 106 232 343 100 41 95 125 Total 1733 88'5 361 Tl school O u.R I I 5 I 2 5 3 3 2 5 5 9 7 I 50 DENTAL HOSPITALS FOR THE POOR. 27 slo. of Children Det.iined from jhool for Days or Weeks ith Toothache or Neuralgia. 103 60 112 40 X02 29 96 «3 34 135 794 No. of Children Detained from Jchool for Days or Weeks vith Toothache or Neuralgia. 100 41 95 125 The following of a different character from other schools may perhaps l)e interesting : — MODEL SCHOOL, gUEIiEC. Sept , 1895. boys. average agk, i3 years. girls. •a X! 73 .a IM , +j tM jj ■'-' *j • a> +j a ^-dC ■u M cV >^C OS . °t3 C ct^ . ' cV, >,C as f' s • y>l^^ SS«5 oi^^ ca, c ^'sSn 5S^5 '-oU^ o2a ,/; rt 2 <" — a C 0) c-^ > : oT^ cS-^g << CS rt 1, •-; a 1> 1— 1 n . « -.5 cS > ^^^J ;^ n iu "^ ^W OCL, (U CUH 1 ^ oa, H ^ 0.=^ ^2; H 1 /; H I 17 17 4 I 19 19 5 I 16 16 5 I 17 17 2 5 15 75 16 3 15 45 7 I 14 14 2 2 14 28 7 2 13 2C 8 2 13 26 4 5 12 60 II 4 12 48 II 3 II 33 9 3 II 33 4 3 10 30 7 4 10 40 6 2 9 18 4 4 9 36 6 5 7 35 7 2 8 16 4 5 6 30 4 4 7 28 5 9 5 45 12 3 6 18 7 4 28 8 10 5 50 II I 2 2 3 4 12 I 2 3 6 2 i ' 2 4 I 50 429 97 1 50 426 76 361 28 PUBLIC SCHOOL INSPECTION. SUMMARY. I Total No. of Total No. of Children KxamineiL Dfoayed Pt-r- numeht Teeth. •Bovs 50 so y Girls Total 1 00 Total No, of Per niani-nt Tet-lh Past Saving. 97 76 173 REMARKS. I^^N.B. — In the mouths of 100 children examined, I found 855 permanent teeth decayed, and 173 of these \^(ix^past saving. None had sound teeth, with the excep- tion of five children. The decayed permanent teeth in the mouth of each cJiild examined x'^[.x\^Q,di fron. four to nineteen. More than twenty per cent, of the iccayed pertnaneni teeth were past saving. The average ii umber of decayed permanent teeth per child examined, eight. Only two children, out of the hundred examined, had any teeth filled. I 5 5 3 4 18 Total No. of Per mant-nt Tetlh Past Saving. 97 76 173 iren examined, 1 173 of thesL- with the excep- 'e7it teeth in the )ur to nineteen. \}'ed permanent ber of decayed ht. Only two had any teeth DENTAL HOSPITALS FOR THE POOR. 29 ORPHANS' HOMES. Orphans' Home, Ottawa. Orphans' Home, Montreal. a"? u C •"2 a I 5 5 3 4 18 — N'o.ofDecayed Permanent 3 Teeth in Each Mouth. Total No. of Decayed Permanent Teeih. No of Permanent Teeth Past Savinjsr. No. of Children Examined. 10 2 1 4 20 2 3 15 2 2 6 4 3 7 4 9 7 8 — 51 G 47 •a o c Q S .s y 17 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 I o "^5^ y. rt i? uH ^ Q-?' H "** 17 10 9 8 7 24 15 2 8 12 18 7 155 so 4 2 3 o I 5 4 o o I o o 20 SUMMARY. Total No. of Children E. tamined. Total No. of Decayed Per- manent Teeth. Total No. of Per- manent Teeth Past Saving. Orphans' Home, Ottawa 18 47 51 155 6 Orphans' Home, Montreal 20 Total 65 206 26 30 PUBLIC SCHOOL INSPECTION. REMARKS. ^^N.B. — In the mouths of sixty-five children ex- amined, I found 206 decayed permanent teeth, of which twenty-six were past saving. Twelve had sound teeth. The majority had from four to seventeen permanent teeth decayed, as per foregoing Table. More than twelve per cent, of the decayed permanent teeth were past saving. The average number of decayed permanent teeth per child examined was three. LANSDOWNE SCHOOL, MONTREAL. Sept., 1895. BOYS. GIRLS. No. of Children. Examined. 1 No.ofDecayed Permanent ; Teeth in Each Mouth. Total No. of Decayed Permanent Teeth. No. of Permanent Teeth Past Saving. No. of Children. Examined. -13 .£3 4, +j >> C rt • C^ ti 34 32 45 42 13 12 44 3" 27 8 ^ ■' as II 7 7 4 3 2 9 7 7 4 35 4 6 2 20 4 56 7 12 . 2 418 78 DENTAL HOSPITALS FOR THE POOR. SUMMARY. 31 Total No. of Children E; ^amined. Total No. of Decayed Per- manent Teeth. Total No. of Per- manent Teeth Past Saving. Boys 48 52 398 418 99 78 Girls Total 100 816 177 REMARKS. ^^N.B. — In the mouths of 100 children examined, I found 816 pennanent tt^Gih. decayed, and 177 of these were past saving. None had sound teeth. With the exception of six, the decayed permanent teeth in the mouth of each child ranged from four to eighteen, as per foregoing Tat)le. More than twenty-one per cent, of the decayed per?nanent teeth were past saving. The average number of decayed permanent teeth per child examined, eight. 32 PUBLIC SCHOOL INSPECTION. DUFFERIN PUBLIC SCHOOL, MONTREAL. I. Ages, 13 and 14 years. IL Ages, ii and 12 years. No. of Children Examined. 1 No.ofDecayed Permanent Teeth in Each Mouth. Total No. of Decayed Permanent Teeth. No of Permanent Teeth Past Saving. No. of Children Examined. (U -u >i C oJ . CPu Z II 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 2 Total No. of Decayed Permanent Teeth. No. of Permanent Teeth Past Saving. 2 2 4 3 I I 18 14 13 12 II 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 2 18 13 12 II 10 9 16 14 24 15 4 2 5 7 3 2 5 4 2 I ! I I 3 3 3 4 I 2 2 II 10 27 24 21 24 5 8 4 • 3 4 5 6 4 6 I 20 162 29 1 20 134 29 in. ages, g AND 10 years. IV. ages, 7 AND 8 YEARS. I 8 8 9 4 36 2 7 14 2 2 3 6 I 2 6 12 2 2 4 8 4 32 7 2 I 2 3 3 9 3 3 2 6 2 I 1 20 81 II 18 48 I I.Tl II. III. IV. DENTAL HOSPITALS FOR THE POOR. 33 D 12 YEARS. r 0) _: "5 S Ji o g 3 4 5 6 4 6 o I o 134 29 AND 8 YEARS. 36 6 I 4 2 4« I DUFFERIN PUBLIC SCHOOL, (kindergarten department). Xo. of Children ICx- ainined. I I 2 5 3 I I 2 I Total Xo. of Teeth De- cayed in Each Mouth. 16 14 13 12 II 10 7 6 5 4 2 20 Total No. of Decayed Teelh. No. of Permanent Teeth Decayed. 16 28 13 12 22 50 21 6 5 8 2 183 4 9 o I o 9 10 3 o o o No. of F'erm.'inent Teeth I'ast SaviuL^ I O O o o o o o o o o 36 SUMMARY OF PUBLIC SCHOOL DEPARTMENT. Total No. of Children Examined. Total No. of Decayed Per- manent Teeth. Total No. of Per- nia '•''•oth Past Suv . I. Those 1 3 and 14 yrs. of age n. " ir " 12 '« riL " 9 " 10 IV. '• 7 " 8 20 20 20 18 102 134 81 48 29 29 II I Total 78 425 70 34 PUBLIC SCHOOL INSPECTION. REMARKS. K:^N.B. — Tn the mouths of seventy-eight children examined, I found 425' per77ianent teeth decayed, and seventy of these were past saving. Four I found had sound teeth. Of the rest, with the exception of ten, thi,- decayed per7na7ient teeth in the mouth of each child ranged from three to eighteen, as per the foregoing table. Average number of decayed permane7it teeth per child examined, five. Out of twenty children examined in the kindergarten department of the Dufferin Public School, Montreal, 1 found 183 teeth in various stages of decay, and of these thirty-six were permanent teeth, one of which was past saving. Quite a number of them had as many as four [)ei- manent teeth decayed; and out of the ninety-eight children examined in this school, only two had any teeth filled. IN ONE OF THE TUBLIC SCHOOLS, OTTAWA. No. of Children E.\a mined. I I 2 I 2 3 5 4 10 29 1 No. of Decayed Total No. of Total No. of l^erinanent Teeth Decayed Permanent Teeth 1 in Each Mouth. Permanent Teeth. Past Saving. 17 17 3 II I 3 10 20 7 9 9 2 8 16 2 7 21 Z 6 30 2 5 20 I 4 40 5 184 24 Interruption in my examination here will be explained further on. -eight children decayed, an.l r I found had ion of ten, th-,' of each chiM bregoing tabit . :eeth per child le kindergarten ol, Montreal, 1 y, and of these vhich was past any as four [)er ^-eight children ' teeth filled. . OTTAWA. Total No. of Permanent Teeth Past Saving. DENTAL HOSPIT.VLS FOR THE POOR. 35 SUMMARY. 3 3 7 2 2 I 2 I 5 24 Total No. r)f Children IJNuniined. Total No. of De- caved Perman- ent Teeth. Total No. of Per- manent Teeth Past Saving. Boys and Girls. . . . 29 29 184 24 Total 184 24 ill be explained REMARK.S. g^^N.B. — In the mouths of twenty-nine children ex- amined, I found 184 permanent teeth decayed, and twenty- four of these weie past saving. The decayed permanent teeth ranged fxomfour to seventeen in the mouth of each child examined, as per foregoing table. Nearly thirteen per cent, of the decayed /efrwr/;^^/^^ teeth were past saving. Numl)er of decayed /^rw (7 ;?f7// teeth per child examined, six. None had )und teeth. Only three children had any teeth filled. The contrast between the condition of the children in the schools where I have carried out this system of school examination twice a year, and that of the other children where it has not been done, I think is sufficient to convince every reasonable person that this system of dental examination that I am advocating is not a " fad," but an absolute necessity. Let me ask why should not all parents in the cities and towns on this continent be informed of the condition of their children's teeth in time to save them, and thus prevent this untold loss and suiTering. 1 have given this subject years of careful study, and have failed to find any other remedy e(|ual to this. I would therefore suggest, in the interests of our school children, that in all our cities and towns a Dental Health 36 PUBLIC SCHOOL INSPECTION. Inspector should be appointed, whose duty it would be to examine the teeth of all the children in the school twice a year (except those children who brought a cer- tificate from their family dentist saying that their teeth were being attended to), and fill out reports to be taken home by the children to their parents stating the con- dition of their teelh and advising them to send their children to their family dentist before their teeth were past saving. As there are large numbers of parents who cannot pay much, and many who cannot pay anything for having their children's teeth filled, it will be necessary to establish a bental Hospital in each of the towns and citier where such children can have their teetli filled and cared for at a nominal fee, simply enough being charged to pay the expenses of the Hospital. The whole of this work can be carried on with little or no expense to the city or state, as the superintendent of the Dental Hospital could fill both the office of superintendent and also that of inspector of the schools. He could spare one or two hours every morning with an assistant to make the ex- aminations, or sufficient time to go over the schools twice in the year. This would be better than completing the examinations in a few weeks, as it would give the dentists of the city and the Hospital time to do the filling for the children without being crowded, or the danger that some children would be forgotten who could not be attended to at once. The advantage in the appointment of the superintendent of the Hospital to inspect the children in the schools would be two-fold: (i) Whatever salary would be paid for the inspection would be that much in aid of the Hospital. (2) He being the superintendent as well as the inspector, would become acquainted with the children of the poor and would have the right to give tickets to those of them who were not able to pay, so that they could go to the Hospital and have their teeth filled free^ while all other children going there would be DENTAL HOSPITALS FOR THE POOR. 37 t would be the school )ught a cer- their teeth to be taken ig the con- send their teeth were )arents who mything for lecessary to towns and li filled and ing charged hole of this ense to the tal Hospital id also that ; one or two ake the ex- hools twice .ipleting the the dentists ling for the iv that some be attended nent of the children in tever salary lat much in ntendent as ted with the ght to give to pay, so their teeth re would be required to pay something towards the expense. By the adoption of this system of half-yearly school inspection, all school-children, rich and poor, would be systematically examined in time, so that their parents could have their teeth saved without them having to suffer so much as they do now by having to endure that cruel and barbarous treatment of having the nerve pulps in their teeth de- stroyed, with the additional likelihood of their giving them trouble after being filled. The saving in expense to the parents would be at least one-half, besides the saving of time to the children by being able to have their teeth filled at one sitting, instead of having to go to the dentist every other day for weeks to have their teeth treated. All the children in the school, if they wished, could go to their family dentist to be examined, and this would probal)ly be the case with all except the children of the poor ; so that the work of the inspector would not be as heavy as it might appear to be. The examination would not in any way interfere with the regular work of the school, as it would not, in any case, take more than thirty minutes to examine the teeth of all the children in a room, supposing that all would require to be examined. I have examined one hundred and fifty children in an hour, and one hundred can be examined with ease in that time. I am satisfied that l)y this system the ex- pense to the city, if any, would be very small, while the advantage to the rising generation would be incalculable, and would put an end to the present barbarous, and, let me say, heathenish practice of wrenching from the deli- cate jaws of so many millions of children, the permanetit teeth that God has given them to masticate their food and to beautify their features. I have now given you the condition of the children's teeth, not only on this continent, but elsewhere, showing, conclusively, that this deterioration of children's teeth is universal. I have also given you a siijiple, effective and 38 PUBLIC SCHOOL INSPECTION. comparatively inexpensive remedy, and one that I '-iave tested for years, with grand success. Some time ago, I sent out circulars to the leading cities in Canada and the United States, asking what these cities were doing for the preservation of the teeth of the children of the poor. The replies, so far received, are that there is not anything being done, except in the few cities where they have an Infirmary connected with a Dental College, and these Infirmaries are not open all day, nor all the year ; so that even in these cities there is not much work done for the children of the poor. In all the other cities they are utterly neglected ! The suffering of such children is terrible indeed, as I know from what I have seen among them here in Toronto during the past twenty-four years. Suffering such that no man can fully describe ! An ac- quaintance of mine, a gentleman holding an official position in connection with the Toronto Public Schools, came into my office some months ago saying that he had suffered excruciating pain with some of his teeth, and continuing, he described the terrible agony he had en- dured (he was a fine, large man, probably weighing some two hundred pounds or more) ; and after listening to his description of his suffering, I smilingly replied: "Oh, that is nothing ! You have no true idea of the meaning of the word 'suffering!'" He looked at me with surprise, and called to his wife, w^ho was in the reception room, saying; "Wife, look here; this man says that I don't know what suffering is ! Now, you saw what agony 1 went through last night, did you not?" He then turned to me and asked me to explain myself. I did so by asking him some questions, which I will now give for th(! benefit of others who have imagined that their lot (suffer ing) has been hard, wiicn, in comparison with what others have endured, they have not suffered much. I asked: " Have you been suft'ering for weeks, unable to eat, sleep, or work?" He said, "No!" "Did you jump out of endi Chil( ditiol civil humi nor pres(i they I DENTAL HOSPITALS FOR THE POOR. 39 that I ''.ave time ago, I ada and the loing for the )f the poor, not anything hey have an and these ?ear ; so that done for the ties they are [ children is J seen among ty-four years, ibe ! An ac- g an official ablic Schools, ^ that he had lis teeth, and ly he had en- veighing some istening to his eplied: "Oh, f the meaning ; with surprise, ception room, 3 that I don't what agony 1 le then turned I did so by ow give for thf heir lot (suffer ith what others ich. I asked: lie to eat, sleep, a jump out ol l)ed and run around the hou^e, and then out of doors around the street?" "No!" "Did you have to hold your head on, for fear it would jump off?" "No!" " Did you beat your head against tne wall, or put it into the oven, which was hot enough to roast it ? " " No ! " " Did you rush about tearing the hair out of your head, thinking that you were going mad?" "No?" "Did your face swell so large that your wife hardly knew you?" " No ! " " Did you have your r^ -"/;h and face poulticed, or blistered with carbolic acid, untu ihe skin peeled off?" " No ! " " Did your jaws become set, so that you could not get the blade of a knife between your teeth; and that state of things continue for days, while you were in an agony which you could not describe ; and yet no dentist could get at the tooth to give you relief?" "No!" " Did you, in order to get relief from the toothache, require to have your teeth wrenched out of your jaws without gas or chloroform, because you were too poor to [)ay for these ? " " No ! " Then, looking at me, he said : "Do you mean to say that the poor children of Toronto have to go through such experience as you have de- scribed ? " I answered, " Yes, and the half has not been told ! " He, turning to his wife, said : " I guess I did not suffer very much after all ; still, I pity any person that has had to suffer even as much as I did." " But what must have been the suffering which these poor children have had to endure ? I pity them, indeed ! " 1 have now given you some idea of the suffering endured, and the loss sustained by the millions of poor children on this continent, caused by the neglected con- dition of their teeth. Though we call this, not only a civilized, but also a Christian land ; yet, the Christian, humane and well-to-do people in it have, in no city in it, nor on this continent, provided a Dental Hospital for the preservation of the teeth of these poor children ; nor have they tried to prevent this untold suffering ! I do not i 40 PUBLIC SCHOOL INSPKCTION. know how it looks to others, but to me, having seen so much of their suffering, it seems an awful thing, that in the closing years of this nineteenth century, in which we boast of such great educational^ sanitary and humane reforms^ that millions of little human beings, who had no choice whatever in coming into this world of suffering, should, for lack of that Christ-like care which Christians are expected to evince, be compelled, after months of suffering, to be subjected to that cruel and barbarous operation of having their permanent teeth, that God, their Heavenly Father, has so kindly given them to masticate their food and to beautify their features, wrenched out of their delicate jaws ! We talk about the ignorance and cruelty of the heathen ; and yet, on this continent, claim- ing to be highly civilized^ the cry of millions of suffering, fatherless, and neglected poor children is going up to heaven, night and day, one unceasing wail, while for want of knowing better, their parents take them "like lambs to the slaughter ! " Let me ask : In what heathen coun- try can you find so many parents offering up to their gods such a costly or cruel sacrifice as do the parents on this continent, in the sacrifice of their children's teeth, health and beauty, on the altars of this hideous god. Ignorance, whose constant cry is "Give! Give ! !" — and yet, he is never satisfied unless his altars are overflowing with the blood of these human victims ! In all the cities, except Toronto, there is some excuse for not having pro- vided for the care of these suffering poor, because the Christian and humane people have not been made aware of their true condition. But what about Toronto ? which is called " Toronto the Good,'^ where there is so much said about the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man ! and so much consultation about the " J^est Way of Reaching the Masses I " What will they answer the Father of these neglected children when they meet Him ? How will they clear their skirts of the blood of the: has [)ro TO citi;* aboi A B I on t instil that tion ; and brouf for hi than ment gener tvvent missic is con practii room there 1 adult ' this h( table i of the of Tor DENTAL HOSPITAI-S FOR THE POOR. 41 ig seen so ng, that in which we d humane ho had no suffering, Christians months of barbarous God, their masticate ched out of trance and ent, claim- f suffering, )ing up to lie for want ■ hke lambs then coun- p to their Ihe parents children's ideous god, e!!"— and verflowing the cities, |iaving pro- cause the ade aware to? which so much otherhood the ''Best ey answer they meet blood of 9 these thousands of poor, fatherless children whom He has given them as a blessed heritage, where they can prove their love to Him by showing it to these little ones. The following abstracts will show that the people of TOKON'rO cannot excuse themselves (as can the citi/ens of other cities) by saying that they did not know about the suffering of the poor children in their city : A DENTAL HOSPITAL. A Brief Account of the Philanthropic Work Carried on by J. G. Adams, L.S.D. — Need of Public Co- operation. The Globe, July r6th, rSgd. For some years past Toronto has been the only city on the continent which has had among its charitable institutions a dental hospital. Notwitlistanding the fact that J. G. Adams, L. 1).S., has been managing the institu- tion at his own expense, and has willingly given his time and services free of cost to any poor that might be brought to him for treatment, it has become necessary for him to close up the institution for no other reason than that little or no friendly cooperation or encourage- ment has been shown him by mdividuals or by the general public in the city. This is to be regretted. For twenty-five years Dr. Adams has taken up a branch of mission work which is more practical and necessary than is commonly supposed. While carrying on a professional practice far from limited, he has always kept a separate room which was designated " Christ's Mission," and has there treated, free of harge, the teeth of any poor child or adult who should happen to call on him. In addition to this he has made it a part of his work to visit the chari- table institutions and give special attention to the teeth of the inmates. Anyone visiting the many public homes of Toronto will find in every one of them the teeth of all SEQUEL TO A SIRANOE EXPERIENCE. the children in a state of careful preservation, and th^ credit for this is due to Dr. Adams. Despite his missionary zeal and earnest desires, Dr. Adams has passed through very trying and discouraging experiences in his efforts to bring about a much-needed reform. He has sought the aid of many public bodies, but has not met with their co-operation ; has called meetings of the citizens and paid for everything himself, but none were sufficiently interested to attend, and last year even went to the expense of hiring a special servant to go out into the highways and by-paths and bring in whatever poor were willing to be treated. Nothing but the highest Christian motives could have prompted such untiring zeal, but while willing to work for others a man is as morally bound to care for his own and not to neglect to too great an extent his private business. Should the citizens of Toronto or any organization be willing to provide the subjects for treatment, Dr. Adam.s would undoubtedly be willing to care for them, and now that he is about to close the public institution which for some time he has managed, it would be well if the chari- tably-disposed and public-minded would again consider the question, and make an effort to retain his services before another can be secured on so welcome a basis. The treatment of teeth is a thing too frequently neglected by individuals, and it is therefore little wonder, in one respect, that the public authorities should fail to consider it, but when the matter is carefully investigated the public will realize that there is a duty owing to society which can be discharged only in some such manner as Dr. Adams has suggested. A representative of The Globe paid a visit to the Dental Hospital yesterday afternoon, and while there had the opportunity of seeing about fifty children who have been undergoing treatment. It was really amazing to see the terrible condition of the teeth and gums of many of these little ones, who, from outward SEQUEL TO A STRANGE EXPERIENCE. s, Dr. raging »eeded 3odies, called limself, nd last servant )ring in ing but ed such ; a man , not to business, ation be r. Adams and now ..'hich for ,he chari- consider services basis, .'rcquently L wonder, lid fail to [vestigated to society nanner as The Globe afternoon, about fifty ^^ It was the teeth m outward appearance, were as healthy and pretty as any group of children could be. The terrible ravages of disease were too frequently present, and the tremendous risk of passing the disease from one to the other was alarmingly il' , trated by the manner in which the children would d . from the same vessel, and, in their innocent, chilci> .0 way, exchange substances, such as chewing gum and the like. But this is only one illustration. The need of proper inspection among school children from the stand- point of society, to say nothing of the advantages to the children themselves, will appear evident to any honest thinker or observer. The Dental Hospital, which is situated at i)^ Elm Street, the third door from Yonge, will be open to the public to-day and to-morrow. As a number of children will be present for treatment the chance should be taken by any who can spare the time of visiting the hospital and seeing the nr ure and necessity of the work. No doubt when once investigated proper steps will be taken to extend its benefits. Dr. Adams has issued a pamphlet and given it to the public at cost price. It is written with the object of awakening the Christian people to the absolute need of doing something for the poor along the lines he has laid down, to give rules to children for the preservation of their teeth, and to improve the health of children in the schools. Besides giving in this very laudable manner the benefit of his studies and investiga- tion, the doctor intends delivering lectures to audiences wherever time and place can be suitably arranged. Work so philanthropic and practical in its nature is deserving of the best consideration, and its promoter worthy of the liighest praise. SEQUEL TO A STRANGE EXPERIENCE. A HUMANE MISSION. PRESERVATION OF THE TEETH OF POOR CHILDREN. A Free Hospital in Toronto-What Dr. J. G. Adams Has Accomplisheri— Working Under Difficulties— A Lujk of Publi:: Interest -Sanitary Dangers in Schools— The Institution May Be Closed. The Mail and Empire, July i6th, i8g6. Among the really philanthropic institutions with which this city abounds there are few, if any, in which more good is accomplished, in a quiet way, than in a certain modesL building on Elm Street, one or two doors off Y. ,nge Street, where is situated, as the sign indicates, a " Dental Hosjiital, for the preservation of the teeth of the poor." This hospital represents a mission to which Dr, j. G. Adams, L.D.S., has devoted nearly twenty-five years of his life. Dr. Adams is what may be termed an enthusiast upon one subject, namely, the preservation of children's teeth, and the prevention of contagion by means of mouth diseases in public schools and other institutioxis where large numbers of children are gathered together. He has for many years been convinced that a great deal of suffering might be avoided, and illness pre- vented, by an organized system of inspection at stated intervals, by v.'hich means the process of decay might be stopped in its earlier stages, and the later and more serious possibilities arising from diseases of the teeth and gums obviated. His interest in the subject has not stopped short of theory, but he has carried his ideas into practical effect, and has given freely both of his time and his means in furtherance of the principle to which he has devoted himself. This he has done without recompense and without the expectation of it. As has been said, he has bee^ engaged in this humane service for almost a OR ^dams alties— jers in i8g6. ;h which :h more 1 certain ioors off licates, a ;th of the hich Dr. venty-five jrmed an vation of |agion by ,nd other gathered ed that a Iness pre- at stated might be ^nd more teeth and has not ideas into time and ich he has ;compense n said, he r almost a SEQUEL TO A STRANGE EXPERIENCE. quarter of a century, giving systematic free treatment to all the poor children whose parents have brought them to him. He has visited regularly the various public chil- dren's homes of the city, examining the inmates, prescrib- ing for them, and undertalcing such operations as have been necessary. He rented the present building adjoining his office, and fitted it up for the purposes of a dental hospital, paying the expenses out of his own pocket. The hospital is, of course, not nearly self-sustaining, the returns from fees being practically nothing. During this period, a good many thousands of poor children have been aided or cured ; at present the number treated daily amounts to about a dozen, and sometimes twice that number. DR. ADAMS' PLAN. This work has never received a cent of assistance from any outside quarter, nor has financial assistance ever been asked. The object of Dr. Adams has been to institute a movement for the proper care and examina- tion of the teeth of school children. He would like to see, in each municipality, a dental inspector appointed by whom each child could be examined twice a year. In cases where attention was shown to be necessary the patient could go to the family physician or dentist, or could, in the case of poor people, be treated free at a dental hospital, one of which Dr. Adams urges should be established in each city. These hospitals would not be intended as money-making institutions, and would in no way interfere with the practice of members of the dental profession ; but it is hoped that by the levying of a small charge upon those who could afibrd it they might be made self-sustaining. In municipalities where the establishment of a dental hospital is an impossibility, the inspector would be greatly assisted by the dentists, who, Dr. Adams believes, would do all in their power to help on the work. /■^z SEQUEL TO A STRANGE EXPERIENCE. In pursuance of this design, which he has developed in a very practical manner, Dr. Adams has sought to interest a number of public bodies, with varying degrees of success. He has been several times before the Public School Board, asking that body to take steps toward a system of dental health inspection in the schools under their control, and has even offered to make the inspection free of cost ; but his propositions have not been accepted. The matter has been considered by the Provincial Board of Health, which body passed a resolution some weeks ago urging that the municipalities take the matter up and provide dental treatment for the children of the poor. In addition to this, sympathetic resolutions have been at different times passed by the Dental Society, the Toronto Trades and Labor Council, and the National Council of Women, while the Michigan State Dental Society, before which Dr. Adams read a paper on the subject a f^w weeks ago, endorsed the proposition very highly. THE PRESENT POSITION. The position of the matter at present is about as follows : Dr. Adams has found that, working on his present basis, and entirely without assistance, he has no way by which he can reach the children of the poor in time to save their teeth. They do not come to him until, in many cases, decay is pretty far advanced, and often blood diseases have ensued, and as soon as they are relieved of pain they often neglect to return in order that the cure may be completed. Thus it is very difficult to carry on the work, and although Dr. Adams has done a great deal of good, he feels that there is much more to be done. Another obvious fact is that the expense is somewhat heavy, and he does not feel that he can con- tinue to bear it alone. He appeared before the Minis- terial Association to explain his plane, and asked for the >ed to ees olic d a ider tion ited. Dard eeks and poor, been , the ional )ental n the 1 very )ut as )n his las no [oor in until, often iy are ir that :iiU to lone a [ore to tnse is con- JMinis- Ifor the SEQUEL TO A STRANGE EXPERIENCE. names of any Church workers who would be willing to take an interest in the subject in connection with their city mission work, but not even this has ever been furnished. There seems, as Dr. Adams explains, a lack o desire to do anything in the matter, and he has con- cluded that the work can no longer be carried on unless it is regularly taken up by some authority. As it is, he has had no help, and, accordingly, he has obtained a release of his agreement for the premises from his land- lord, and is reluctantly compelled to abandon the hospital. In answer to a question. Dr. Adams expressed the opinion that to continue the enterprise on a proper basis in its present quarters would require $i,ooo per annum. This sum would be sufficient by his giving the necessary time for its superintendence free of charge, which he expresses himself as willing to do, and by this means every poor child in the city could be reached. SANITARY DANGERS. Dr. Adams has pointed out, in a small pamphlet, the great dangers which exist from the mingling of children in large masses, some of whom have diseases of the mouth, and some of the statistics gathered by him are startling, showing, as they do, the immense proportion of school children whose teeth are in various stages of decay, and in whose mouths diseases of different kinds are making rapid and fatal progress. He points out that it is nothing short of a crime to compel teachers and chil- dren who take good care of their teeth to sit in the same room with such children, and he instances the common drinking cup in the school yard as a frequent cause of infection. He insists that the proper care of the teeth and mouth is the greatest possible prevention to conta- gion, and would also have a most beneficial and healthful effect upon the quality of the air in the school-room. His appeal is a strong one, and its sincerity is borne out by SEQUEL TO A STRANGE EXPERIENCE. the work he himself has dc.ie in the last twenty-five years. He wants the establishment of dental hospitals for the poor, and the appointment of a dental health inspector, believing that by such means, a reform would be effected which would have a wide influence not only upon the comfort of thousands who are now suffering, but upon the general health of the community at large. A visit to the hospital gives one an additional insight into the importance of this work. T ere, yesterday after- noon, were found between thirty anu forty children from the Orphans' Home, who were in turn being treated by Dr. Adams, and a comparison of the appearance of those whose treatment was far advanced with those who had but just come was of itself enough to make the visitor a convert to the dentis ; views. Should the institution be closed up it will undouotedly be a great loss to the poor of the city, who have so greatly benefited by its existence. At present it appears likely to close within a week or ten days, before which time Dr. Adams hopes to complete a large number of treatments now under way. To-day and to-morrow the hospital will be opened freely to visitors, and it would well repay any who are interested in philan- thropic enterprises to pay it a visit and see for themselves the work that has there been accomplished. Compelled to Close up the Only Dental Hospital IN America. But these requests of the press, like those I had so often made, were unheeded. Not one person, man or woman, called, or by word or act showed the slightest interest in the children of their poor ; so I was reluctantly compelled to close the hospital. I shall not attempt to describe my feelings (you may imagine them if you can) as the signs were being SEQUEL TO A STRANCE EXPERIENCE. five tals ilth )uld jnly ■ing, ;e. light fter- from dby hose had ;or a )n be poor ence. )r ten lete a ^ and tors, lilan- elves PITAL -ad so an or jhtest [tantly may 1 being removed, and the only dental hospital on this continent was closed up against the suffering poor. The reporters again told you how that afterwards I ap- pealed to the mayor and council, in behalf of the children, asking that dental hospital provision be provided as sug- gested by the Ontario Provincial Board of Health ; but, as they refused to do so, I had again rented the building and opened it to the poor. However, as far as some way of reaching the children of the poor, I was it. the same position as before ; the only way of making the hospital a success, in the way of saving their teeth, being to hire persons to go out and hunt the children up. This my wife and I did at our own expense. We also did what '^siting we could ourselves among the poor; but, as you must know, my time, (as I intimated to the Ministerial Association and also to other societies) was, necessarily, all taken up through the week in earning the means for the support of my family, and the carrying on of the hospital. Sabbath,October i8th, mywifeand I spent together visiting some of the widows and fatherless poor of the eastern end of the city. Little did I think that afternoon, as we returned home, that her work among the poor was finished. So it was, for she had made her last visit to the poor. A few da_,. s after the Master called her home to her reward. Though she did not live to see the hospital the success which she had hoped, yet, I am sure, He will say of her: " She did what she could." Many years ago she and I, with our four small children, bidding good-bye to parents and friends, had left our home, with all its comforts, and come to Toronto to engage in some mission work among the poor ; though, as I told you on page 50, we did not know just what our mission work was to be, or how we were to support ourselves or get the means to carry on the mission work, whatever it should prove to be. God, true to His Word, (on which we depended when we left our home, and went out like Abraham and his wife, not SEQUEL TO A STRANGE EXPERIENCE. knowing where we were to be led) guided and provided for us ; and, as you see, for the mission work also, to which He had called us. To our parents and friends this was a cause of great joy and surprise, for they had pre- dicted all manner of evil, financial ruin, beggary and starvation, which was sure to be our portion if we took such a strange, and seemingly unwise step as to leave our home without knowing something of what was before us. Had we taken their advice we should afterwards have lost our home, through an unseen flaw in the will on which we depended for a title. But, by the strange way God led us, we saved everything, and, as a family, have had comforts and advantages we never should have enjoyed had we refused to obey His call. I give this little insight into our past history to explain why I so presistently continue at this work, not- withstanding the fact that I have to face so many diffi- culties. The death of my wife and refusal on the part of the good people of Toronto to help me to reach the children, without my having to bear the additional expense of having to hire persons to hunt them up, decided me to close up the Dental Hospital Mission Work in Toronto. I think you will admit that this closing year of a quarter of a century's mission work has been a trying one indeed. Face to Face with a New Difficulty. Though the closing of the dental hospital relieved me from the heavy expense, yet it did not relieve the poor children of Toronto from their suffering, the result being that they kept coming for relief, and not finding the hospital door open, they came to my ofTice. The ques- tion then was — What shall I do with them ? I could not turn my office into a hospital, and thus ruin my practice on which my family depended for ided ), to 5 this pre- and took leave »efore ivards e will range imily, i have >ry to :, not- ' diffi- e part -h the itional n up, SSION of a trying ed me e poor being ig the ques- i thus ed for SEQUEL TO A STRANGE EXPERIENCE. support, neither could I turn the children away to suffer, and, as the city had refused to provide for them, there was no place to send them. I knew there was no use of again appealing to the citizens, as the papers had some months ago stated that I had positively made my last appeal. The wretched, diseased and suffering con- dition of these thousands of poor children of 'Toronto, as well as the memory of what my late wife had passed through in their interest, came up before me, and I decided that though the people of Toronto had refused to help me to reach the children, still I could not go back on them and leave them to suffer ; so in order to make the necessary dental provision for the children of the poor I closed a bargain for the purchase of that large three-storey brick building, No. 55 Elm Street, which I intend fitting up for dental hospital and mission *work, for which purpose it is just suited, having all modern conveniences, being heated by hot water, etc. I get the building for $6,000 (though it cost much more when erected), and have the necessary time for which to pay for it, which with God's blessing I shall be able to do, and leave it as a monument of God's faithfulness to His promises ; and also in memory of my late wife, and of my mother, to both of whom I am indebted in this work. I am sure there is no more fitting tribute which I could pay to their memories. When the building is dedicated their portraits will be placed in it. VISITING AMERICAN CITIES. When visiting New York, Philadelphia, Buffalo, and other American cities, gathering information as to the condition of children's teeth, I found them in the same neglected condition as in Canada, there being no dental hospital provision made for the preservation of the teeth of the poor who are not able to pay. Both in New SEQUEL TO A STRANGE EXPERIENCE. York and Philadelphia there are two Dental Colleges with infirmaries connected therewith, but they are not charitable institutions^ the sole object being to give students a chance for practice. They are open to the rich as well as the poor, and all are charged alike. I had a very pleasant interview with the Dean of each of the New York Colleges, and with the officials of one of the Philadelphia Colleges, as well as some of the leading dentists of these cities. They all expressed themselves as being very much interested in this new reform, and will do all they can to advance it. I also met some of the leading members of the New York Board of Education, and when 1 explained to them the object of my visit to their city, they also expressed themselves as being in hearty sympathy with it, and one of them remarked that I was bringing this reform for- ward at the most opportune time, as the New York Board of Health was making some very radical reforms in the way of examining school children — their eyes, heads, hands, etc. The following paragraph from the Presbyterian Re- view (of April 29th, 1897) will further explain these reforms : " One hundred and fifty physicians examined 5255 pupils in the Public Schools of New York city, and found among them 140 cases of measles, mumps, croup, scarlet fever, diphtheria, and other contagious diseases ; ailments of the eye which were in greater or less measure infectious, and fifty children infested with vermin. These " cases " were all excluded from the schools for the time being. Each of them was a focal point of contagion. The policy of medical inspection is to proceed regularly hereafter, so that the sources of contagion will be largely lessened in the city. Other cities may profitably follow the example set in New York," add writ in tl a pa the' ed t en do seed nent good A Dent£ their ( subjec Schoo I was ] Comrn fact, tc ivall S m the < enterta *'0 vention ride thj ^here Invitati in teres t( 'System Dr. J. C Afte applaud The Dr. Adams' SEQUEL TO A STRANGE EXPERIENCE. ges not rive the 1 of cials e of jssed new New them essed i one n for- York iforms eyes, n Re- these mined y, and croup, eases ; easure These e time tagion. ularly largely follow October ist^ iSgj. — Another four months, with its additional and varied experiences, has passed since writing the foregoing. The American National Conference of Charities met in this city ; and, at the request of the President, I read a paper on " Dental Hospitals for the Preservation of the Teeth of the Poor." In the discussion which follow- ed the reading of the paper, the subject was heartily endorsed, and will appear in their journal. Thus the seed is being scattered to the four winds of this conti- nent and to the lands beyond the seas. Thanks to the good people of Toronto ! About the same time, the Committee of the Eastern Dental Convention sent me a pressing invitation to attend their Convention at Cornwall and to read a paper on the subject of "Systematic Dental Health Inspection ot School Children's Teeth." Knowing the heavy expenses I was incurring by carrying on the Dental Hospital, the Committee kindly paid all my travelling expenses. This fact, together with the following quotation from the Corn- wall Standard^ will show the interest taken in this subject in the eastern part of the province ; also the prospects entertained that good results will follow : " On Wednesday afternoon the members of the Con- vention were entertained by the local dentists to a trolley ride through the town and to the St. Lawrence Park, where they carried on their proceedings in the pavilion. Invitations had been issued to a number of citizens interested in educational matters to hear a paper on the 'Systematic Examination of School Children's Teeth,' by Dr. J. G. Adams, of Toronto." After reading the paper Dr. Adams was warmly applauded on resuming his seat. The following is the discussion on the paper read : Dr. Weagant, the President, heartily endorsed Dr. Adams' views and said it would be well if parents could SEQUEL TO A STRANGE EXPERIENCE. be enabled to read the excellent advice he had offered. Dr. Sparks also spoKo highly of the service rendered to the Convention by Hr Adams, and suggested that a dental department should be added to general hospitals. Dr. Adams said it might be found to work. He thought the ladies might take up this matter. Dr. Beacock said the suggestions offered by Dr. Adams were most valuable. His description of the danger resulting from carelessness in regard to children's teeth was not a bit overdrawn. Dr. Hanna recognized the necessity for the systematic inspection, but thought it could only be secured through legislative action making it compulsory. Dr. Ira Bower strongly endorsed Dr. Adams' views. Dr. Alguire, one of the leading physicians of Corn- wall, was invited to speak, and complimented Dr. Adams on the good work he is doing. He was aware of the great deterioration of the teeth of the present generation and if they did not do something to stop it they would soon become practically toothless. He thought it was of the greatest importance that the rising generation should be educated to see the necessity of taking the precautions suggested by Dr. Adams. Dr. Graveley, another leading medical p>ractitioner of the town, endorsed Dr. Alguire's remarks. He thought Dr. Adams' suggestions were most valuable. Mr. D. Monroe, Secretary of the Public School Board, and Mr. Gibbens, of the Standard^ followed on the same lines, expressing regret that Dr. Adams' paper had not been heard by all the people of the town who have children at school. Dr. J. C. Bower and Dr. Cavanagh also spoke briefly of the value of the suggestions made. Dr. Hanna said they should endeavor to secure the endorsation of the Ontario Board of Health. If they could do this the dental and medical professions would \ do t toL ledgi conn I Ti by as Ar time, t t^e sch so offer from pr J"& qua between have bee awrare, J evij tree, at iast Cw tree and h I^urin^ encelastji was brough nioved a re at the comr and Dr. W, r, "Verye Ogden oppo the medical the medical' sacrament vn j^e fearlessly his assertion, receiving the i Dr. the ^^ 'tret'^ "^« ^oi^eTf sacrament wa, , i "^^^ 'he old mp.i? !^^' "° <^oubt ,\, He fear]eLl7a4t"r '5 ^°«e'y and 1 °'k '^"^'"^ ' h« assertion; that fh' ^'?<^ had ample 1 /''""""^'ion. ^««ivi„g the cu?i^'^l°P'"'°" of t^^proLll"^^ '° ^^^k ;^!ml^ SEQUEL TO A STRANC.E EXPERIENCE. fcal method. Ten or fifteen years ago, the doctor observed, they did not know these facts, and he went on to speak in outspoken terms of the perils which the practice involves. •' Dr. Ogden concUided liis speech by urging all to look to the safety of those entrusted to them." You will see by this that Dr. Ogden and I agree per- fectly on two points : ist. That there is great danger from the promiscuous use of a common drinking cup. 2nd. That (I use his own words) all should ""look to the safety of those entrusted to them. " Again I agree with Dr. Ogden and other members of the medical profession when they make the statement that there is danger from the use of a communion cup, even though the communicants (as far as morality and cleanliness are concerned) are the cream of society. Let me ask the question : That, if under such cir- cumstances, there is danger (and the doctor has stated that he has ample proof that there is) then, in how much greater danger must the 40,000 school children of Toronto be who have to drink out of the common cup, not simply once a month (like the communicants) but often during every school day — not after the cream of society, but after children who come from all sorts of homes, and whose teeth and mouths are in the vile state in which Dr. Rose and myself have found many school children to be? I have shown to physicians, school children by the score whose mouths were diseased by syphilis, which loathsome disease is just as easily communicated by the drinking cup as by association with prostitutes. I therefore wish to call the attention of my friends. Dr. Ogden and Mr. Tait, to these facts. I knowtheyarebothgood reformers and believe, as I do, that no man is worthy of the name " reformer " unless he does all in his power to reform the evils with which he comes in contact. ; t\ in ^ever J from an I ^^'y I hi doing off sustaining r^ City ij ^y the citl ^o^vards ni .^^ssionai *"^C£LUiVK ou.s- '""ORMATIOV. ^""'Pital vvorL ?''^^^ ^^^^nk I u s;^^;? »tt"^5:sa ..fits- appearance !^' '," ^ "ever ^5"^"°" of Sol^ ""^ P"b'ic L^~ MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. The result of this has been that it took all the money made in my regular practice, after supporting and educat- ing my family, to carry on this Dental Hospital work, the result being it left me no surplus money to buy up city property and add house to house and field to field, like so many of the wise and shrewd people of our city; therefore, I am now deprived of the pleasure of paying taxes on any property except my residence in the city (which taxes now-a-days amount to a half-rental), and my summer home in Muskoka. I think it only justice to myself that the public should know my position with regard to Dental Hospital work, and more particularly so as I have been forced out of my seclusion ; and I shall, therefore, in the future, no longer play the part of '' the old man and his ass," but shall work^ write and speak in whatever way I think I can do the most for the suffering children of my native land ! FINIS. RW The paper on "Tlie Condition of Children's Teeth," wliicK I presented at the Montreal Meeting of the American Pul)lic Health Association, and which appeared in the July ( 'g5)No. of their journal, is embodied, in substance, in this pamphlet. lie money d educat- tal work, :o buy up I to field, our city; ^f paying the city ), and my ic should tal work, »ut of my lo longer 3Ut shall I can do land ! f 1," whicK ic Health r journal, ;*i*-'»,«,«,-.3^,;;;;;g£j^hf*^^^ '***«'H«ra57».f»««.- DENTAL INSTITUTE. 55 Elm Street, corner Teraulay Street, one block DENTAL INSTITUTE. 'eraulay Street, one block west from Yonge Street.