People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 September 1893 — DENTISTRY IN ANCIENT DAYS. [ARTICLE]

DENTISTRY IN ANCIENT DAYS.

Practiced by the Egyptians, as Shown by Gold-Filled Mummies’ Teeth. The utility and importance of the teeth has been known since the advent of man on this planet. While no specific data can be obtained as to the origin of dentistry, we know it was practiced among the Egyptians at a very early age. Herodotus (500 B. C.) in writing of his travels through Egypt, at that time one of the greatest and most civilized countries in the world, mentions the division of medicine in that kingdom into special branches, and existence of physicians, each of whom applies himself to one disease only and not more. “Some (physicians) are for the eyes, others for the head, others for the teeth, and others for internal disorders.” It is thought by the North American Beview that the Egyptians and Etruscans were farther advanced in the art of dentistry than any other people in that early period, for teeth filled with gold have been found in the mouths of mummies, indicating their advanced ideas. These people were the first to supply artificial substitutes in the mouth. Belzoni and others have found artificial teeth made of sycamore wood in ancient sarcophagi. The mode of fastening was by ligaturer or bands of cord or gold wire, tying the substitute to its natural neighbors. In 1885 some specimens of prehistoric dentistry were brought to this country by an English dentist from Liverpool. One was a gold plate with several human teeth attached. The specimens were found in an Etruscan tomb. The plate was ingeniously made and I was surprised to see gold used for a base by such an ancient people. Archaeological research may yet reveal things that wiU teach this generation. We modify, but must not flatter ourselves that we originate all there is in dental art. Ancient Greece is renowned as the “nursery of modern medicine.” Hippocrates made a special studyof the teeth. Aristotle (800 8.C.) also wrote extensively about them Several Greek dental operators are mentioned as early as 500 B. C.