Wingate, Bellefonte; C. M. Williams, Pittston; B. F. Kinney, Light Street; and W. F. Vallerschamp, New Berlin. After the adoption of a Constitution and By-Laws, the following officers were elected, viz.:— President.-Dr. J. M. Barrett. Vice-President.-Dr. G. B. Brown. Recording Secretary.-Dr. Jno. D. Wingate. Treasurer.-Dr. H. H. Martin. Librarian.-Dr. John Locke. Executive Committee.-Drs. H. Gerhart, W. A. Chittenden, and G. W. Renn. Drs. H. Gerhart, C. S. Beck, M. D. L. Dodson, G. W. Renn, R. E. Burlan, and John Locke were appointed essayists for the year. After a full, free, and amicable discussion, the following, offered by Dr. H. H. Martin, was agreed upon :— Resolved, That it is the duty of the members of this Convention cordially to unite in raising the prices of their dental services to a fair remunerative standard, in view of the great advance of all things surrounding them; and that we each pledge to the other our honors to labor for the accomplishment of this end, to which we are most justly entitled. Drs. John Vallerchamp, J. L. Andrews, J. M. Barrett, R. E. Burlan, and E. C. Kester were appointed delegates to the American Dental Association. Communications were read from distinguished members of the profession containing advice and encouragement, which were placed on file. The evening session was devoted to a discussion of theories and facts relating to dental science. Adjourned to meet in Lewisburg, January 11th, 1865. JOHN D. WINGATE, Secretary. J. M. BARRETT, President. WESTERN NEW YORK DENTAL ASSOCIATION. THE Second Semi-Annual Meeting of the Dental Association of Western New York was held at Canandaigua, May 3, 1864. Dr. B. T. Whitney, President, in the Chair. Dr. R. G. Snow, of Buffalo, Chairman of a committee to compile a history of the progress of dentistry in Western New York, read an interesting and instructive report. Dr. E. G. Darbey, of Marion, read an essay on "Filling Teeth." In the discussions during the session, Dr. Daball, of Dansville, said after he has extracted the teeth, he trims off enough of the alveolus to enable him to use gum teeth for the temporary set. Dr. Walter, of Rochester, in extreme cases, in order to remove an instrument which has been broken off in a tooth, has used diluted nitric acid to eat it out, and with good success; but advises the practice only in extreme cases. In treatment of alveolar abscess, Dr. Snow, of Buffalo, affords great relief in some cases, by the application of a current of electricity to the gums. Dr. Whitney, of Buffalo, in similar cases instructed the patient to apply a pledget of cotton, saturated with sulphuric ether, to the gums; believes it to be one of the best remedies used. Dr. Walter, after cleaning out the nerve cavity, plugs it full of cotton, saturated with the extract of ginger, to heal up an abscess; often lacerates the gum and applies the same to it. Dr. Bristol, of Lockport, is often surprised at seeing plugs in teeth, that were inserted twenty-five years ago, when the facilities for filling were so imperfect; is very careful to have the points of his pluggers perfect; thinks one never gains anything by speaking to a patient about holding the tongue in a certain position, or how to breathe; hopes the time will come when the different branches of dentistry will be practiced harmoniously by separate operators. The session of the Association lasted two days, and altogether was an agreeable and profitable meeting. Lockport was appointed as the place for the annual meeting on the first Tuesday in October next. The present officers of the Association are:- A. G. C. HUDSON VALLEY DENTAL ASSOCIATION. AT a meeting of the dentists of Troy, Lansingburg, Waterford, and vicinity, held at the office of Dr. O. R. Young, December 8th, 1863, Dr. H. H. Young was called to the Chair and Dr. S. J. Andres was appointed Secretary. The object for which the meeting was called was stated by Dr. N. D. Ross, and several of the gentlemen present expressed themselves strongly in favor of forming a Dental Association, and all present were unanimous in their expressions that it would be for the general interest of the profession to form such an association. Whereupon a motion was made by Dr. French that a committee of three be appointed by the Chair to draft a Constitution and By-Laws. The Chair appointed Drs. S. D. French, L. C. Wheeler, and O. R. Young; and, on motion, the Chairman was added to this committee. A second meeting was held at the office of Dr. S. D. French, December 29th, when the committee made their report; and, on motion, the Constitution and By-Laws were unanimously adopted. An adjourned meeting was held at the office of Dr. C. H. Jenkins, January 5, 1864. The following gentlemen were elected officers for the ensuing year:President.-Dr. H. H. Young, Troy. Vice-President.-Dr. S. D. French, Troy. Recording Secretary.-Dr. S. J. Andres, Troy. Corresponding Secretary.—Dr. S. P. Welch, Lansingburg. Executive Committee.-Drs. L. C. Wheeler, S. P. Welch, and C. H. Jenkins. On taking the chair, the President made some pertinent remarks, glancing at the history of the profession and congratulating the Society on its organization and prospects. BUFFALO DENTAL ASSOCIATION. AT a meeting of the dental profession of the City of Buffalo, N. Y., held on the evening of May 27th, 1864, at Medical Hall, for the purpose of organizing a City Dental Society, the following named gentlemen were present:— Drs. Geo. E. Hayes, C. W. Harvey, R. G. Snow, B. S. Brown, B. T. Whitney, N. Whitcomb, Leon T. Harvey, Theo. G. Lewis, J. R. Wetherill, Geo. B. Snow, A. P. Southwick, Fred. Oliver, J. H. Giffing, M. B. Straight, M. F. Cook, S. A. Freeman. On motion, Dr. Geo. E. Hayes was appointed Chairman, and Dr. Geo. B. Snow, Secretary pro tem. The Chair appointed Drs. B. T. Whitney, R. G. Snow, B. S. Brown, C. W. Harvey, and J. R. Wetherill, a committee to draft Constitution and By-Laws. The committee subsequently reported a Constitution and By-Laws, which were amended and adopted. After all present had signed the Constitution, an election for officers was held, which resulted as follows: President.-Dr. Geo. E. Hayes. Secretary.-Dr. Geo. B. Snow. Treasurer.-Dr. J. R. Wetherill. Adjourned to June 6th, at the same place of meeting. Meetings will be held on the first Monday evening of each month. Dentists from abroad are cordially invited to attend. DR. GEO. B. SNOW, Secretary. WABASH VALLEY DENTAL ASSOCIATION. PURSUANT to a call of the dentists in good standing in the Wabash Valley, a meeting convened in the City of Lafayette, Indiana, on the 20th day of April, 1864, to associate themselves together to cultivate the science and art of dentistry and all its collateral branches; to elevate and sustain the professional character of dentists; to promote among them mental improvement, social intercourse, and good feeling; and to collectively represent and have cognizance of the common interests of the dental profession in the said Wabash Valley. On motion, H. R. Hurd, of Attica, Ind., was appointed Chairman, W. H. Pifer, of Lafayette, Ind., Secretary pro tem. On motion, a committee of three, consisting of Cunningham, Canine, and Moore, were appointed to report Constitution and By-Laws. The committee submitted a form of Constitution and By-Laws, which were adopted, and the Society organized under the name of THE WABASH VALLEY DENTAL ASSOCIATION. The following practicing dentists paid their initiation fee and signed the Constitution: W. H. Pifer, J. S. Snoddy, A. M. Moore, E. V. Burt, H. R. Hurd, W. B. Moffatt, J. C. Winslow, J. W. Fahnestock, A. B. Cunningham, J. W. Budd, J. F. Canine. After a social and spirited discussion, which all participated in, the meeting adjourned to meet at Crawfordsville, Ind., on the 25th day of October, 1864. A. M. MOORE, President. W. H. PIFER, Secretary. CENTRAL NEW YORK DENTAL ASSOCIATION. THE Second Annual Session was held at Auburn, May 10th. Number in attendance unusually large. Dentists of neighboring cities are invited to meet us at Syracuse, November 15th. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:— President.-Dr. S.,B. Palmer. Vice-President.-Dr. G. W. Tripp. Recording Secretary.-Dr. S. G. Martin. Treasurer.-Dr. W. C. Orcutt. Corresponding Secretary.-Dr. P. Harris. The retiring President made an appropriate address. Interesting discussions followed, principally upon the preservation of the natural teeth. S. G. MARTIN, Recording Secretary. A DENTAL SOCIETY IN WESTERN VIRGINIA. Ir will be gratifying to those who are interested in the establishment of dental societies to know that a successful effort has been made to form a dental society in Western Virginia, and that Dr. Abr. Robertson, of Wheeling, has been elected as a delegate to represent this organization in the American Dental Association at the next annual meeting, to be held at Niagara. EDITORIAL. SENSITIVE DENTINE-ARSENIC, AND THE TREATMENT OF THE DENTAL PULP. It was promised in the last number of the DENTAL COSMOS that I would give my experience in the use of arsenic. Dentistry is perhaps more of a demonstrative art than any other branch of the great healing art, and there should not be a very wide difference of opinion among men of proper information and understanding who are engaged in its practice. There is no "twenty" ways, so to speak, of doing things in our profession, and especially in treating tender teeth, when such thing is desirable; and it is desirable, nay, absolutely necessary, in the present age, to destroy the pulp of a tooth when it becomes exposed; and it is also necessary to` palliate the sensitiveness of dentine before the pulp is exposed in some patients, in order to successfully plug a tooth. This I comprehended as necessary shortly after I came into the profession, twenty-seven years ago. At that time there was no settled method of treating either the pulp or the sensitive dentine. Some of the most eminent in the profession extracted teeth as soon as the pulps became exposed; some cauterized the surface of the pulps and plugged over them; some used astringents, "nut-gall," etc. for an indefinite time, and then plugged over them; some plunged a hot instrument into the pulps, and then plugged the teeth; others adopted a more refined method, and used the instrument in its cold state; some treated sensitive dentine with the hot instrument. There were other methods of less note, too numerous to mention. Of |