tific knowledge and methods of procedure. It is the duty of the dental society that it bring before its members. the best scientific teaching and the best methods of practice and procedure, and to make its meetings so attractive and instructive as to command an attendance in keeping with the field it covers. In this respect this organization of New England dentists has a special opportunity and a special duty, namely, to seek to bring the practice of dentistry in New England up to the highest possible standard by conducting each year a meeting along the most progressive lines, and of as high educational advantage and opportunity as it is possible for any other section of the country to hold, and such as it would not be possible for any single New England state to conduct. If we are to justify our existence as the great dental association of New England we must have something to offer that the state society does not provide. POSTGRADUATE MEETINGS. The form of dental meeting is changing somewhat, and in some sections of the country they are holding with much success the so-called postgraduate meetings, where instead of having many essayists to present the different subjects. in a limited time, a few paid lecturers are secured, and the subjects considered are presented in a series of lectures covering the entire field, and the clinics are conducted by dividing the convention into as many groups of observers as there are clinicians, each group visiting the different clinics at stated intervals. Where such meetings have been held they have had enthusiastic support, and have resulted in increased attendance and membership. We want in this New England Association the very best dental meeting that it is possible to have, and we want an attendance and membership such as our territory warrants. If the postgraduate meeting will give us this, it is worthy of our consideration and adoption. THE DENTAL PROFESSION AND THE ARMY. The dental profession has responded in a splendid and patriotic spirit to our country's need in the present world war. Throughout the country dentists have given generously of their time and ability to properly fit the mouths of men for service in the army and navy. Because of this work, rendered wholly from a sense of patriotic duty, many men have been enlisted in the army and navy who would otherwise have been rejected because of poor teeth and unhealthy mouths, and the mouths of large numbers have been put in the best possible condition to properly fit the men for prolonged service at the front. This service has been rendered not in response to any request on the part of the government or of the public, but rather because the profession as a whole, realizing the vital importance to the enlisted men of sound teeth and clean healthy mouths and their bearing upon the general health, and knowing that the government has failed to provide adequate dental service for the army and navy, have volunteered to render to the country and the flag a service that they are particularly fitted to give. Many members of our profession have enlisted and are enlisting in the dental reserve corps of the army, ready to do their bit and to give up an established practice that they may serve their country and those who are to serve their country. With the sacrifice that they are making in response to our country's need it would seem proper that those of us who are to remain at home owe it to these men to do everything reasonable in our power to protect their practices during their absence, to care for their patients, and when they return to again take up their private practice we should see to it that in every case their patients are returned to them. I would recommend that this association and every dental society in New England that has not already done so, place itself on record to that effect. In making a suggestion that affects the different state societies it is not with the thought that this association should in any way seek to dictate the policy of the different state societies, yet we may properly consider it within the province of this association to endeavor to bring about in New England uniform action in all matters that pertain to the wellbeing and advancement of our profession, and to endeavor to have New England stand as a unit in such matters. DESIRABILITY OF UNIFORM LAWS REGULATING THE PRACTICE OF DENTISTRY. With this aim in view we should seek to maintain uniform laws regulating the practice of dentistry. Such laws should be governed by the standards of dental education, and should require of those who would enter practice that they have such professional education as is provided by our recognized dental colleges. When such a condition does exist, there would seem to be no good reason why reciprocity should not be established, in New England at least. There can of course be no reciprocity except between such states as have laws of the same standard, and that standard should be based on educational requirements. If in New England we can bring about an interchange of licenses based upon uniform educational requirements, the influence of such action should do much to establish reciprocity throughout the country. I trust that this meeting may prove of such interest and profit to every member as to repay him for being present. The fact that our country is at war has made it difficult to prepare a satisfactory program, but we feel that we present a program that should command your approval—one of exceptional interest and educational value, the essayists and clinicians being men of the highest professional attainment and particularly qualified to present the different subjects. DISCUSSION. Dr. W. R. Pond, Rutland, Vt. Mr. Chairman, and fellow members of the Northeastern Dental Association,-I can think of only one reason why I was chosen to open the discussion on the President's Address, and that is that I am from the same state as Dr. Manson. However, I very much appreciate the honor, and wish to congratulate him on his most excellent address. I thoroughly agree with him in regard to the desirability of a change of name for this society. Of course its members all know what the Northeastern is, but in other parts of the country, if you mention its name, it does not mean anything particularly. I think that the "New England Dental Society," as Dr. Manson has suggested, would therefore be a much better title. Now as to the field of this society. As Dr. Manson says, unless it can produce something that is better than the state societies produce, this society has but little excuse for existence. It should have a very large membership. Judging from the treasurer's report, we have now considerable money, and I do not see why we cannot have meetings that will be attractive enough to make everyone feel that he cannot afford to miss them. I believe that the postgraduate system of meetings would appeal to our members as something different from the state meetings. Dr. Manson speaks about the dental colleges, the dental journals, the dental societies, and dental examining boards associated with the birth of dentistry. It seems to me that the birth of almost all of these things mentioned was the result of a spirit of commercialism, which I am glad to say we are getting away from. I can remember when the dental colleges, for instance, were run quite as moneymaking schemes. Those who ran them. got the residue after all the expenses were paid, and I know of one man who is reputed to have made half a million or so out of dental education. It is fine that we are getting away from that, but we have many things yet to improve with regard to dental education. I believe that as dentistry is a specialty of medicine, the ultimate result will be that the dentist will have to have an M.D. degree or at least that his preliminary educa tion will be the equivalent of a medical course, and he will then specialize in dentistry. The journals have been in somewhat the same condition. Our trade journals have served a very valuable purpose, but it is gratifying to know that we now have independent magazines, like our National Journal and the Journal of the Allied Dental Societies. The dental societies have been a great educational factor. After all, in the words of the prize ring, the college course is only a preliminary bout. It must be along the right lines. We must have the proper foundation, but it is what we do afterward, in following up our studies, that counts in the long run. I know of men who never saw the inside of a dental school who have worked hard and improved themselves, and are much. more competent and better educated men than those who have gotten a dental degree in a few months, and who think that it is sufficient to last the rest of their lives. It is better to build a house on a good foundation, but you can jack the house up and put a good foundation under it afterward, and make a respectable dwelling of it. I think that applies to dental education as well. The dental examining boards probably have done a great deal. They are doubtless what we might call a necessary evil; I happen to be on one of them, and so I can say this without criticism. It seems as if the colleges should fit men to practice their profession without their graduates having to go before an examining board. Such is not the case, however. I often wonder how in Heaven's name some of these men slip by the colleges, when I see the way they appear before the examining board. At the present time, we do seem to need to examine these men, to keep them up to the necessary standard and to try to raise the standard for the colleges. The matter of reciprocity between states would be quite ideal. In Vermont, we have reciprocal relations with about eight states, so far as I remember now. There are some conditions, however, that might be improved. For instance, we cannot reciprocate with New Hampshire, because they allow men to take the examination without a dental degree, and Vermont requires them to be graduates in dentistry before taking the examination. I hope that this will soon be remedied, so that the requirements may be uniform throughout New England, at least. I remember receiving a long letter from a dentist in the northern part of our state, complaining that some men came in there by virtue of reciprocity and practiced in the summer. I did not pay much attention to this, but a year later, I had another letter from the same man, saying that his health was not very good and that he would like to go to California to practice, and stating that he would like to have the advantage of reciprocity. He had a young man with him from West Virginia who was desirous of taking his practice. Although this man had objected to others coming to Vermont in the summer and taking his patients, he was glad to take advantage of reciprocity when it suited his own interests to do so. That is just one phase of the subject. It is a good thing to take an account of stock, so to speak, to find out our weaknesses, and to think over what dentistry has accomplished. We are told, at the present time, that dentists have done wonderful things in the war, and have received well-earned recognition. Well, some of them have, but are the rest of us prepared to do the same remarkable work in oral surgery, plastic surgery, restoration, etc.? We are not. I say this emphatically. We must all increase our knowledge; we are expected to do great things. It has been said that the next great step in preventive medicine must come from the dental profession. We must do more hard work before we are ready to be absorbed by the medical profession, which is waiting patiently to take us in, when we are fitted. We are doing great things in the army, and I trust that we shall get recognition for it and an increase in rank, so that some of the older men can go into the army and do good work. Just now it is the younger men who have enlisted. I think, as Dr. Manson says, those who go in should get all the protection that we can give them. We should not stay home to make the most that we can out of our opportunities to get our brother's practice. Dr. Manson speaks about promptness in attendance at the meetings. That is very important. In our State Society meeting we always have the same trouble in getting the men there on time. Common courtesy dictates that we should be here promptly, and I hope that we shall have a larger attendance later in the afternoon, to hear Dr. Miner's paper. I have heard one on the same lines from him, and it was well worth hearing. We should follow up his subject, and have a comprehensive knowledge of oral conditions as influenced by the general health. Dr. Clinton W. Strang, Bridgeport, Conn. I think the paper has touched upon points that we may well heed, and not only heed, but act upon. Times have changed wonderfully, and unless we conform ourselves to them and plan to meet conditions, we shall be on the down grade. The dental profession has made. marvelous advances in every department. When we consider the conditions that existed years ago, when the speaker began to practice, we can hardly fail to wonder how we got along as well as we did. While I am on my feet, perhaps it might be interesting to you if I entered a little bit into history. Fifty years ago next month I became a member of the Connecticut State Dental Association, and as a member of that association, became acquainted somewhat with the guiding minds of the dental profession in other parts of the country-Atkinson, Varney, and our dear old hero of prophylaxis, Riggs. Most of the older members of the profession have passed on. There are but few that I can think of at the present time who have not laid down their dental instruments. Dr. Gaylord of New Haven is still quite active at the present time, I believe, but I do not know of any other dental practitioner in New England who has devoted fifty years to the practice of his profession and is still in active practice. I have much to be thankful for, but a great deal that has come to me has been through the generosity of other men better known in the profession than myself, and my commission at this time is to pay a tribute to a man who for fifty years has been a brother, if not in the flesh, yet in sympathy and in a disposition to assist all with whom he became acquainted. I refer to Dr. James McManus of Hartford. (Applause.) Many there are who have won the admiration of men, who by deed or quality have won the confidence of their fellows, but men regard Dr. James McManus as a brother. There is about him a genuineness that has won men and held them. He is, in every thought and feeling, a man, and yet you will agree with me that he has a heart as tender as that of a woman, and as guileless as that of a child. In early manhood Dr. McManus made his impress on all about him. He learned the lesson of combining fervor, zeal, and enthusiasm with broad charity and sanity. The only life worth living is the life of the man who works, the man who strives, the man who does, the man who can say, "I know I have faltered; I know I have stumbled; I have left undone things that should have been done, and much that I have done had better been left undone; but, as strength was given me, I have striven to use it; I have striven to make the world better because I have lived in it." And now I would suggest that a telegram of greeting and good-will be sent to Dr. James McManus of Hartford. (Applause.) Dr. Stilson. I am not sure that just at this moment the motion will be in order. Discussion of the President's Address is before us now. This motion can be acted on later. Dr. Thomas J. Barrett, Worcester, Mass. I had no intention of discussing the President's address, but it is such an excellent one, exhibiting so much thought and covering such a variety of subjects, that it is not fair to pass it without comment. The first thought in the address that impressed me was the matter of a change of name for this society. The president has certainly presented a good argument for an alteration, and has caused thought to be given as to the wisdom of adopting a new name. Many times since the convention was advertised to be held in Worcester, I have been asked what the association was, and what territory it covered. As the president has said, it is an association of dentists of the states of New England. That being true, it would seem that we could find a name better suited than the Northeastern, as that is very indefinite as to meaning. I think it a matter that could well be taken up and considered by a committee, with the request to report later. Another matter that I might say a word on is the question of reciprocity so earnestly referred to by our president. It is a subject that has been discussed for years, and treated from various viewpoints by various men. No one can so well understand the safeguards that are necessary before new laws are adopted and old ones changed as those who serve on state boards, and meet the candidates and know something of their history, their character as practitioners, and their ability as professional men. Most of you know the law only as practitioners. We who occupy official positions, who meet and have to deal with the men who are desirous of coming into the state through reciprocity, are better informed as to the safeguards with which we should surround the people than are you. No wellqualified practitioner of dentistry should have any trouble in transferring his labors from one state to another. Den tal laws are not intended to prevent or hamper the worthy and capable man, and rarely ever do so. They are, in fact, police regulations of dentistry enacted solely to protect the public from incompetence and ignorance. There are no two states in the Union that have exactly the same laws or require the same tests in examination. There are many that are quite similar, but no two boards exact from the individual candidate the same tests. If a man is engaged in the practice of dentistry as his life's occupa tion and means of livelihood, it does not seem to me to be any hardship for that individual to be asked to demonstrate by some fair test, such as a filling operation, his ability to do that work. He is requesting the privilege of going into the state to do that work, and wants a license to do it, a permit to do it among all the people. Now, then, to demonstrate before a fair board his ability to do that is not a hardship; on the other hand, it is a fair provision of protection for the people. It is no hardship for any tradesman or for any specialist in any line of endeavor to be asked to demonstrate his fitness and his ability in his particular line. The Massachusetts Board has for years required that of every practitioner who desired to come into the state. There never has been a case-I say never, and I will not qualify it at allof a deserving practitioner of standing in the community from which he came, who brought credentials as to his ethical practice and honesty of purpose, who experienced any difficulty in meeting the requirements of the Massachusetts Board; the incompetent and the charlatan have. The board never submits a practitioner of years to the same test as the recent graduate, fresh from his studies, but it does exact and expect from the dentist who has been in practice for five years or longer that he demonstrate by a filling operation his ability to do dental work as a man should after having spent that length of time in practice. From a single operation the members of the board have been able to decide as to his fitness, the balance being always in his favor, I might say. The character of his work might not measure up to what we expected, but if it is done with care and shows a degree of skill, if it shows that he has practiced, and that he may be regarded as a safe man, we license him. We never subject him to a hard or unusual test. I think before the profession goes on record as saying that we should have national reciprocity by law and waive all tests, they should understand what the state boards are trying to do for them as well as for |