TO THE EDITOR OF THE DENTAL COSMOS:

Sir, The article entitled "A Method of Sterilizing, and at the Same Time Impregnating with a Metal, Affected Dentinal Tissue," by Percy R. Howe, A.B., D.D.S., in the September DENTAL COSMOS, I found to be extremely interesting. May I sound a word of warning, however, in regard to the use of silver nitrate in the roots of anterior teeth? I have several patients for whom I treated anterior roots, prepared for pivot crowns, with silver nitrate some ten years ago. Subsequently the gum tissues over the roots darkened as the result of the impregnation of the silver salt, causing a most

disagreeable impression, and for that reason I discontinued its use in these teeth. I have found silver nitrate very effective when applied to affected tooth tissues which are not exposed to light, as advised by Dr. Black, but even if applied only to the apical third of anterior roots, the danger of staining the crown of the tooth, with its attendant disastrous results from an esthetic point of view, more than offsets the benefits derived from its use in these places. Very truly yours,

WM. H. NITZSCHKE, D.D.S. RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE DENTAL COSMOS:

Sir,-Regarding the saying that "A clean tooth never decays," I would add "Neither does a dirty one, necessarily."

I recently spent practically a whole afternoon cleaning a set of thirty-two teeth, all perfect and in good occlusion, in a patient, a rather good-looking young woman just past thirty years of age. Tartar was present to such an extent that it formed almost a solid wall with vertical cracks to indicate the presence of

the teeth. The tip of the upper cuspid was all that showed on one side. The sulci of the molars on the right side, both upper and lower, were completely filled with tartar. The patient said she had. showed them to a dentist once, and he looked "kinda funny." I presume he did!

Very truly yours,

F. A. GRAHAM, D.D.S. HARBOR SPRINGS, MICH., October 6, 1917.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE DENTAL COSMOS:

Sir, I have before me a question to determine which I have often wondered how I should settle did it ever come to my lot to decide. It now appears in the form of the question of the career to advise for a protégé of mine, my young nephew, who is completing his academic education. By reason of his talents and personality I am convinced I should advocate for him either the profession of medicine or the profession of dentistry, in either of which I am satisfied he would make no small success, and one or the other of which he desires to take up. I have often wondered what would be the result if the average were struck from the sum of advice given by a representative number of dentists regarding such a matter. Would the nature of this average advice mean that dentistry as a factor for human good was a success or a failure? Would it mean that dentistry as a developer of character-taken in the broad sense-warranted the devoting of a life to it, rather than to the practice of medicine?

The following represents to my mind the way in which the successful dentist views his profession: He regards it as at present but a pioneer in the realms of public appreciation, recognition, and

human service. He believes that its possibilities as a healing art and sciencenot the "healing art"-are practically unlimited. He realizes that it is no longer but little more than a mechanical trade and only in theory a profession. But as he considers these facts his thoughts seem always to point toward the same idea, namely, that dentistry is a specialty of medicine practiced without the degree of Doctor of Medicine, unlike the other specialties of medicine. Now, if, as it appears by natural and logical reasoning, dentistry is to be eventually absorbed into medicine, should not the education of the future dentist be the same as that of the medical student, with an added year or two or more if necessary to obtain the requisite dental qualifications? Would this not at one stroke raise the status and broaden the usefulness of dentistry? Then why not so educate the coming generations for the practice of the specialty of dentistry? I think this is a question of sufficiently imminent import to warrant a very free and full discussion in the forum of our dental magazines.

Cordially yours,

WM. H. BARN HARD, D.D.S. WASHINGTON, D. C.

WEDNESDAY-Morning Session. THE forty-seventh annual meeting of the New Jersey State Dental Society was called to order at 10 A.M., on Wednesday, July 11, 1917, on Young's Million Dollar Pier, Atlantic City, N. J., by the president, Dr. James I. Woolverton.

The Rev. HENRY MERLE MELLEN, Atlantic City, invoked divine blessings on the deliberations of the society.

The PRESIDENT. Mayor Bacharach Mayor Bacharach of Atlantic City is absent from the city, and Mayor Harcourt of Longport will deliver the address of welcome.

Address of Welcome.

Mayor HARCOURT of Longport then addressed the society as follows:

Mr. President and members of the New Jersey State Dental Society, Mayor Bacharach has requested me to come here and greet you this morning on behalf of Atlantic City. Mayor Bacharach would have been here; he is very faithful in the performance of his duties to the visitors and to the conventions which honor this city with their visits and who have contributed so much to make this the wonderful City by the Sea. But this time he is not with you because he has been called away to perform duties which are very burdensome, involving the mobilization of the military forces of the state and the preparations for the entrance of this state with the federal forces in the great conflict to make the world a

safe place for the great masses of its people, and a very unsafe place for a few of its people who would destroy the freedom of the masses. I believe you will forgive his absence this morning when I offer you these reasons.

The duty which every individual owes to this state and nation during these dark days has been quickly recognized, and, I am glad to tell you, unselfishly and patriotically performed, by the members of your profession and of this society, resident in this city and county.

An instance of this performance of duty on your part was on the formation in this city of a battery of artillery as a unit of the New Jersey regiment of artillery. Many of the men who came forward and offered themselves to the company were found to be defective because of bad teeth. Immediately the dentists of this city and county came forward and volunteered to give their time and service to these men, so that one of the most important parts of the fighting man would be sound and ready for the campaigns to come.

Men like you, who do these things quietly and without the blare of a brass. band, are not often the recipients of medals nor are such acts often mentioned in the news of the day, but it is nevertheless a performance of duty and exhibition of sacrifice just as laudable and every bit as necessary for a successful and quick finish of this war in which physical science is playing such a large part, and divine science such a small part. Future

wars must be prevented by the scientific application and enforcement of the principle of right over wrong, but this war will be won by the nation most highly developed and organized in physical science; that nation will be the United States, and your profession is doing and will continue to do its part.

I present to you the key of Atlantic City. Henceforth the doors are wide open, but don't take them off the hinges, because when the time comes that people must leave us we always lock the doors again, so that you can have an excuse to prolong your stay. Your president has just told me that during the last two days no one has been getting to bed until four or five o'clock in the morning, and that he realizes that he is up against it until this convention closes. He feels his responsibility so keenly that I know this key will be in safe hands. Mr. President, I present to you the key of Atlantic City.

The PRESIDENT. I accept this key in the name of the New Jersey State Dental Society, and will see to it that the doors are kept open.

The Secretary proceeded to call the roll, whereupon Dr. MANNING moved that the roll-call be dispensed with. (Motion carried.)

The PRESIDENT. The secretary will read the minutes of the last meeting.

The Secretary proceeded to read the minutes of the last meeting, whereupon, on motion (as follows), further reading of the minutes was dispensed with.

Dr. FOWLER. Mr. President, I move that the printed minutes of the meeting, as printed in the official record, be accepted as the minutes of the meeting. (Motion carried.)

Dr. Asher S. Burton, vice-president, was called to the chair, while the president, Dr. WOOLVERTON, read his address, as follows:

President's Address.

By Dr. J. I. WOOLVERTON, Trenton, N. J. You have honored me with the privilege of addressing you as president of the New Jersey State Dental Society, and of

bringing to your attention such matters as may be deemed of importance to the welfare of our society, by which it may maintain its position as a leader, not a follower, among dental societies.

To hold this place will even more in the future require that we use judgment in the selection of our officers. They must be men who are capable, willing to sacrifice themselves, and to devote the time that is necessary to carry on this work, not men who are seeking honors only.

During the past few years, owing to the increased demands for space necessary to accommodate the exhibits of the convention, there has been considerable difficulty in securing a place of sufficient size to house the entire meeting under one roof; in fact, last year it was necessary, as you know, to have the scientific meetings in a separate hall.

This year we were unable to secure the Casino in Asbury Park, where we held the last two conventions, forcing us to look for another place for the meeting of 1917.

In 1911 the Atlantic and Southern, and in 1912 the Atlantic, Southern, and Mercer societies held successful and wellattended meetings in Atlantic City. This was brought to the attention of the Board of Trustees, who, after some negotiation, have secured a favorable contract from

this city.

This change has already proved beneficial from a financial standpoint, and the indications are that there will be no falling off in attendance. With such men as Drs. Price of Cleveland, Thoma of Boston, and Moffitt of Harrisburg, as essayists, and an excellent group of clinicians, this should be the most successful meeting the New Jersey State Dental Society has ever held.

An innovation in the management of the convention is being tried out this year in the appointment of a business manager, who has full control of the staging of the convention, relieving the chairman of the Exhibit Committee of a tremendous amount of detail work. This is working to such satisfaction that I would recommend the position be made permanent, that he be empowered to make all con

tracts with the exhibitors and collect the moneys, with such other duties as may be directed by the Board of Trustees, and that he be compensated in a reasonable amount for such services.

DENTAL LEGISLATION.

The one hundred and forty-first session of the New Jersey Legislature passed no legislation affecting the law relating to the practice of dentistry, but has enacted a law directly affecting the appointment of members to the Board of Registration and Examination in Dentistry, in that it requires the society to name three dentists for each vacancy as it may occur, the Governor naming one for the position. This is sure to bring a certain amount of politics into the appointment, which is to be regretted. We must be more careful than ever in selecting men of high integrity and qualifications to fill these positions, to the end that the board may ever be an honor to the dental profession of New Jersey.

At the annual session of the society, a certain amount of business must be transacted; under the present plan every component society has a representative on the Board of Trustees, to bring the members in closer touch with the business of the society, and that the society. may devote more time to the educational side of the convention; I would recommend that a complete record of the transactions at each meeting of the Board of Trustees be furnished them, to place before their local societies; also that the reports of the various committees-unless they contain matter to be discussed by the society-be read by title and printed in full in the New Jersey Dental

Journal.

THE NEW JERSEY DENTAL JOURNAL.

This brings me to the Journal, whose staff is working for us every day in the year, and a good many nights until late, with no compensation whatever except our gratitude; let us show it by reading the New Jersey Dental Journal, if in no other way.

The history of the New Jersey State Dental Society is completed up to the

time of reorganization, and it is recommended that a committee of three be appointed to bring it up to date.

MEMBERSHIP.

Our membership, while increasing steadily, should have a much larger proportion of the dentists of New Jersey. We can get them if each one of you will make it your business to bring in one new member; and to assist in this I recommend that a director of membership be appointed to carry on the campaign, with the slogan "One thousand slogan-"One members at our fiftieth anniversary in 1920."

The National Dental Association is now sending to each member monthly a journal which reports the findings of the Research Institute. These alone are worth many times the price of the magazine, and the value of this work not one of us can estimate. The Research Institute is now asking that we increase our dues $1 per year for the support of this institution, and I most earnestly recommend that this be done.

war.

THE PREPAREDNESS LEAGUE.

Of all the great events during the past year, the most important to us as a nation and professionally is the entrance of the United States into the European The national side needs no comment; we must win. Your Board of Trustees have taken such action as the conditions demand in the formation of the Preparedness League of the New Jersey State Dental Society, whose chairman will give a detailed report of the great work they have accomplished.

A portable motion-picture machine has been purchased that may be used in any place where the 110-volt current is available. This will be used at our state meetings, and will be loaned to the component societies who may wish to secure it. There are now nearly a dozen films available through the courtesy of the S. S. White Co., and many more that may be rented at a moderate figure. I would recommend that a committee of three be appointed to take charge of this machine and make arrangements for its use.