Review of Dental Literature and Art. [Volume: 2, Issue: 11, June, 1861, pp. 611-624]

624

THE DENTAL COSMOS.

volatilized and scattered when wished to be put to service, and then all
within the sphere of influence appreciate and enjoy them. But that they
may be transported from place to place for our pleasure or profit, they
must be 'sealed' tightly, and deprived of the liberty to escape. In like
manner, all instruction must be 'sealed' also, to enable the mind to retain
and transport it for pleasure or profit. Now, this sealing of instruction
is but the closing of the circuit of complete demonstrative teaching by
nature or competent leaders in the departments of science. * * ' *
" The ground properly embraced in the physical structure and diagnosis
of human teeth in health and disease has so recently been turned up to
the sunlight of scientific observation and cultivation that it has of necessity given an impetus to collateral science that they will soon have to acknowledge, which, however, we should care less for than to know that it
has thus furthered their interests. Surgery and chemistry in particular
have been thus benefited by the researches of dentistry. How shall the
tyro best employ his time to attain the one prime necessity of a successful
career in practice?
"Not in the examination of cases he never can see again, or more than
a limited number of times at irregular periods. Not in hasty, crowded
private practice, where no time nor ability, if the patient consented, were
allowed to fully delineate the nice distinctions of the various stages of
disease in the diverse structures presented. But in such cases as, in
whosesoever hands, can be seen from inception to termination, of which
the pupil takes sketches and notes in his own language, and reads and
discusses in the presence of some one able and willing to 'point' and
'seal' the wholesome instruction to his enlargement, so that he have the
type of one class of cases from which he need never to depart. Next, a
case nearly allied to this, but with marked modification of temperament,
sex, nationality, or other molecular difference, from whatever cause.
"And so on through all the modifying circumstances of the entire routine of oral diseases and aberrations from the perfectly healthy standard.
If such a course of diagnostic instruction were faithfully followed, we
would soon be made aware of the increased ability of our profession in
this very important particular, and our pupils would return to their former
tutors to turn the tables upon them, and prove to them that if they were
younger in years, that they were their seniors in useful ability to see
through the various cases daily presented.
" To be a good diagnoser, it is imperative to understand principles and
laws in preference to formularies and modes. And to be able to comprehend these, native powers must not only be good, but kept in action by
continued application, thus insuring the healthy growth so much needed
to make their 'vigilance' the watch of 'intelligence' that strikes down
none but foes in the dark or in the light.
"That the greatest impetus may be given to diagnostic power, it behooves those who have attained this high ability to so clearly point the
way to inquirers that they may begin where we leave off, which cannot be
done unless we relate our failures in opposition to our successes, to constitute the sure basis of demonstrative teaching that shall be able to convince the most rigid hair-splitter that we meet, by the diffusion of all we
know for the good it may do."