Question:
I have a new Signals catalog(ue). It contains not only several "Two Fat
Ladies" videos, but both of their cookbooks.
More interestingly (or obnoxiously), however, it also contains the books
_The Alarming history of medicine_ and _The Excruciating history of
dentistry_. Of the latter, they say it is "a treasury of toothsome tales
from Babylon to Braces. (Example: Pierre Fauchard, the father of dentistry,
recommended rinsing the mouth with... you don't want to know.)".
Answer:
'Tis true, but Pierre didn't advise ~everyone~ to rinse with it, only the
unwashed, indifferent morons too lazy to brush and floss, like you-know-who.
Btw, "it" is something sometimes used to make estrogen replacements, in case
anyone does want to know.
By coincidence, the annual meeting of the Ohio Section of the Pierre Fauchard
(prodounced "Few-shard") Academy was held last Saturday in conjunction with the
annual meeting of the Ohio Dental Association here in Columbus. The PFA is an
international honor dental organization, and only one or two percent of all
dentists belong.
A prominent Parisian dentist, Fauchard used to make house calls in a
horse-drawn cart which looked like a giant molar. He won the title "Father of
Dentistry" for writing the first dental textbook, "Chirurgien-Dentiste,"
published in 1728, and French dentistry was recognized as the best in the world
up until the French Revolution (1789-1799).
After the Revolution, all surgical and medical qualifications were abolished,
and, again, any person was free to practice the healing arts there. Surgeons
on the cutting edge (ouch!) of modern treatment generally moved to the the
United States, which was in its infancy during this period.
Shortly after the turn of the century, a medical apprentice named Chapin A.
Harris in Bainbridge, Ohio, took an interest in dental treatment, and authored
several pioneer dental textbooks. In 1839 he became editor of the first dental
journal, "American Journal of Dental Science," and also the first secretary of
the first dental society, "Society of Dental Surgeons." In 1840 Harris became
dean of the world's first dental school, the Baltimore College of Dental
Surgery, although Bainbridge is still considered the "Cradle" of modern
dentistry.
