240 ILLINOIS STATE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



these last two co-operate with the bacteriologist, physician 

 and specialist. Remember, for this reason, no one man 

 can know it all. 



It seems as if in these days, "Specialism" is tending al- 

 most too far, and certainly some are too young and rapid 

 in trying to succeed to that title before sufficient general 

 practice has been studied. Experience is the best teach- 

 ing for specialism, with a thorough, careful analysis of 

 years of observation, together with research studies of the 

 necessary kind, and less with the idea of a Ph. D. degree, 

 which hardly fits the science group so much as the classic 

 or literary ones. 



To resume — Dentistry is really a part of medicine, just as 

 much as the eye, the ear, the bones, etc. A certain amount 

 of mechanics is necessary to all. And like a huge, first class 

 engine of the highest type, the body must be treated as 

 such and carefully cleaned, oiled and guarded. In spite of 

 much work, dentistry, for some reason, creates fear, even 

 more, perhaps, than surgery. Why? Because a child is early 

 told by its mates that a dentist hurts. Hence, see to it that 

 you take your child to the doctor and the dentist early and 

 let him learn they are his friends. You can hardly go early 

 enough, for like the parent and the rod, the sooner the bet- 

 ter. Be kind, but firm, and mean what you say and do not 

 vaccilate. During infancy, many troubles creep along in- 

 sidiously, which could be prevented either by physician or 

 dentist, for by co-operation, they aid and advise the parent 

 of danger. For example, a bad arch or irregularly placed 

 teeth become a danger in child development and should 

 receive early correction. You would not wait if it were a 

 fine new tree ! You must breathe through the proper chan- 

 nels, and how can you with a 34 — 1'' width of mouth and 

 your nostrils curved, closed or obstructed, when each 

 of these conditions predisposes to adenoids, tonsils and 

 catarrh? If adenoids are present, then the jaw develops 

 badly. Pressure takes place and injures the nerves of the 

 face, eyes, ears, nose, etc., and even may carry on these 

 changes in remote parts of the body. A tubercular hip 

 shows by pain and lameness in the knee, and like inflam- 



