488 Dr. W. D. Halliburton [Feb. 10, 



WEEKLY EVENING MEETING, 

 Friday, February 10, 1922. 



Sir James Reid, Bart., G.C.Y.O. K.O.B. M.D. LL.D. F.R.C.P., 



Manager and Vice-President, in the Chair. 



W. 1). Halliburton, M.D. LL.D. F.R.S. 

 The Teeth of the Nation. 



[Abstract.] 



The lecturer began by drawing attention to a series of skulls on the 

 table, which had been kindly lent to him by Sir Arthur Keith. 

 Among these were some of neolithic date which showed perfect 

 dentition ; these were compared with the skulls of modern times, 

 which showed in varying degree the ravages of dental caries, or of 

 the equally prevalent disease of the gums and jaws usually known as 

 pyorrhoea. The one modern skull, with a perfect set of thirty-two 

 teeth, he described as the rarest specimen of those exhibited. Caries 

 was not unknown in past ages, and the Rhodesian skull is interesting 

 from this standpoint as exhibiting in its teeth a typical, carious 

 condition. It is, however, undoubted that the ailments in question 

 are much on the increase, and so serious is the problem that a 

 committee under the Ministry of Health is now endeavouring by 

 enquiry and research to obtain the reasons for the spread, and to* 

 suggest means for its prevention. 



The personal care of one's teeth by cleanliness is the duty of 

 everyone. The mouth is the home of numberless bacteria, some of 

 which produce lactic and similar acids from easily fermentable sugar,, 

 such as glucose, which is so much employed in confectionery. If 

 particles of such food are allowed to stagnate around the teeth, the 

 acid locally produced will stagnate also, especially at night, when the 

 normal salivary glow is in abeyance. The acid primarily dissolves 

 the protective layer of enamel, breaches in which allow ready 

 involvement of the dentine beneath. 



The tooth-brush is an imperfect instrument, and may, if unwisely 

 used, injure not only enamel, but the gum margin, where pyorrhoea 

 mav be started. Immediate attention is then necessary. But even 



