1893 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



939 



they took Ipng rides, tormented every step of 

 the way with toothache. I told the doctor, 

 when lie started in on my work, that, as this is 

 our dull season, I would eilher go home or 

 wait, when he had customers who could not 

 Wellcome some other time. I accordingly left 

 my seat, and stood by while he pulled teeth, ad- 

 vised patients, etc. In fact, I have greatly en- 

 joyed studying up human teeth and dentistry 

 for some weeks past. Well, when it comes night 

 I would rather read a dental magazine than 

 any of my agricultural papers. Most of you 

 know how keenly I enjoy studying up a new 

 industry or a new line of industrial work. By 

 the way, there are quite a few dentists among 

 oui' bee-keepers. I know a dozen or two. This 

 class of people usually need recreation out- 

 doors; and if the bees are near the dental office 

 the dentists can very often \mt in their time 

 when there are not very many patients around. 

 And I just want to say, too. that the dentists of 

 our land are a nice set of men; that is, they 

 are as a rule. In the first place, a man who is 

 not a good man would hardly undertake to earn 

 his living by working inside of the mouths of 

 people generally, good, bad, or indifferent. In 

 fact, I think they might put up my favorite 

 text for a motto over tlieir doors — "Not to be 

 ministered unto, but to minister." I know they 

 make us groan and howl sometimes; and it was 

 a rare study to me to see my friend and neigh- 

 bor go to work to relieve suffering, even when 

 he knew he must inflict terrible pain before the 

 relief could come. I learned to see by his face 

 when a difficult case was before him; and I 

 heard him exhort his patients — yes, 1 heard him 

 exhort nic a few times — to go through with the 

 ordeal with a brave spirit. I believe he suffer- 

 ed almost as much as they did, sometimes. 



Well, if there is any business in tliu world 

 where " a stitch in time saves nine," it seems to 

 me it is caring for the teeth. After some of the 

 very difficult and painful operations of extract- 

 ing the roots piece by piece, of decayed teeth, I 

 would ask the question: 



"Doctor, if this individual had cared for his 

 teeth, had ilicm loukid ovi-r very frequently, 

 and promptly Hlled as cavities appeareu, am I 

 to understand that all this suffering and loss of 

 teeth would have been saved?" 



'• Most certainly." 



Some years ago I think our dentist told me 

 substantially the same thing; and for several 

 years I used to come to him, say once in six 

 months. A good many times, alter a careful 

 examination, he woulu tell me my teeth were 

 all right, and needed no attention, except that 

 they be kept clean. Finally, like other people, 

 I became careless and let several years go by. 

 Then there was a great amount of filling to be 

 done; some teeth wt re hopelessly gone, and one 

 had to be extracted; and as the result of that 

 neglect, my teeth got into such shape that it 

 was very dil'ticult for me to chew my loud 

 thoroughly. After having had one tooth ijulled, 

 and suffering ever so much fi<im the toothache, 

 I made a new resolution, and had my teeth at- 

 tended to every six months again. Since then 

 I have not had a bit of tootiiache. But recent- 

 ly the dentist decided that (jnite a number of 

 my double teeth were going to pieces unless 

 they had prompt care. After discussing what 

 was best to be done under the circumstances, I 

 decided to have them cai)ped with gold, and the 

 missing ones icplaced by attaching them to the 

 gold caps on each side: and as I dictate this I 

 am rejoicing in having, for the first time in 

 years, a full set of tools for mastication. Be- 

 fore investing in so many 1 had one capped, 

 something over a year ago. to see how I liked it; 

 and now I can do good work on almost any kind 

 of food. During nearly two weeks, while the 



gold caps were being fitted, I was obliged to live 

 on soft or semi-liquid food, or have whatever I 

 ate mashed up very tine. The beneticial effect 

 on my health became apparent at once, and the 

 experiment gave me an opportunity for decid- 

 ing unquestionably that much of the distress 

 and difficulty I have with my digestion is owing 

 not only to a lack of mastication, but perhaps 

 to the use of skins of fruil,,or vegetable food in 

 such a coarse state that the digestive fluids can 

 not readily work it up fine. My friend, if you 

 have trouble with your digestion, just try using 

 only food that is mashed up fine, or in a semi- 

 liquid state. 



I know a good many will plead that they can 

 not afford to pay the dentist so much money. 

 But, my friend, you can afford to have a tooth 

 pulled when it aches; and you may think you 

 can afford letting the teeth go to pieces; but I 

 do not think you can. And, again, you can 

 afford to send for a doctor when you are sick. 

 That may be all very well; but by sending for 

 the dentist a year or two before you send for 

 the doctor, you may be saved much pain and 

 suffering, and money too. A good many of us 

 are inclined at times to lose faith in doctors, or, 

 at least, in drugs and medicines; and perhaps 

 no one can ever settle the question conclusively 

 as to whether the drugs and medicines did any 

 good or not. But there is no chance for any 

 question when a broken bone is to be set or 

 some surgical operation is to be performed. In 

 these cases the doctor's work is almost as plain 

 as that of the carpenter or blacksmith. You 

 see what he does, and you see the result of his 

 work; in fact, you have a tangible result in 

 your possession, in place of the money you have 

 paid. Now, it is so in dentistry. The dentist 

 tits you with good and efficient tools for per- 

 forming almost the most important work a 

 human being has to do. Some of the best physi- 

 cians we have of the present age are curing 

 people by simply furnishing nature with the 

 right kind of material (in tlie shape of proper 

 food), so that she may herself do the mending 

 and repairing. Going to a dentist ol'ten. that 

 he may keep your teeth in good trim, may not 

 be exactly ■' doctoring without medicine," but 

 it is certainly one line, and a very important 

 one, of improving our general health without 

 either drugs or medicine. Some years ago our 

 dentist had some circulars printed, which he 

 gave away to the public. I have thought best 

 to give a few extracts here in conclusion: 



Do not liave a tooth extracted unless it be from 

 absolute necessity, and of tliis allow your dentist to 

 be llie judge. Tlie tuolliaclie is but llic penaltyof 

 violated law. Nature never pardons an offense 

 against lier. Slie may reprieve, but she never par- 

 dons. Never part witfi a tooth, nor the root of a 

 tooth, tliat can possibly be made serviceable, any 

 more than you would permit a surgeon to amputate 

 a linger that lias a felon on ii-; for a tootli once re- 

 moved from the mouth is lost for ever, and can nev- 

 er be restored. Tlie contour of the face thus disfig- 

 ured can never be restored in all its symmetry by 

 artificial means. When tlie lelation of the teetli, 

 mouth, and mastication, to digestion, is l^etter un- 

 derstood, we shall have better care of the teeth and 

 moutli, and jieople will be nioie careful to masticate 

 tlieir food thoroughly liefore swallowing it Disease 

 is said to be a sin. AVe aekiiowledge the trutli of tlie 

 saying, but go ou siiiniiig, by doing, or neglecting 

 to do, the things wliicli will produce or prevent 

 disease and consequent suHeriiig. " Peace on earth 

 and good will among men" can not reign so long as 

 decayed teeth and otlensive brcatlis exist. This is 

 one of the penalties ol individual neglecc. 



On arising in the morning, use your tooth-VirusVi 

 vigorously, for that is the time that the mouth is in 

 its worst condition; and of all times Ibis is the one 

 when you should use something to cut the secretions, 

 as you use soap to remove grease and other matter 

 frnni the hands. By so doing, j'ou will soon be sur- 

 pi-ised at the wonderful appetite you have for 

 breakfast. 



