generally speaking speech could only be properly acquired by the deaf in childhood.

AT the next ordinary meeting, which will be held at 40, Leicester Square, on Monday, June 13th, at 8 p.m., a paper will be read by Mr. David Hepburn on "Suppuration connected with Diseases of the Teeth." Casual communications will be read by Mr. Hilditch Harding, Mr. Edwin Cox, and others. FRED. CANTON, Hon. Secs.

T. F. KEN UNDERWOOD,

NATIONAL DENTAL HOSPITAL AND COLLEGE.

THE Annual Distribution of Prizes to the successful students of this Institution took place at the Beethoven Rooms, Harley Street, on the evening of the 3rd inst., Erasmus Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., in the chair.

The DEAN (Mr. Thomas Gaddes) opened the proceedings by reading his report for the past year:

During the past year there has been given an official, but perhaps not a conclusive, interpretation of certain clauses of the Dentist Act of 1878, according to which there is no gainsaying the State recognition of all who are upon the Dentists' Register. That many of those so registered should have opportunity to improve their professional knowledge the executive of the National Dental Hospital and College decided to admit registered practitioners to short terms of hospital practice and single courses of lectures, in precisely a similar manner as the General Medical Schools are open to any one who pays the required fees for what is wanted. These educational facilities have been taken advantage of by many. There can be no question as to the benefits such a step has conferred, not only upon those who have availed themselves of it, but also upon the public who seek their

services.

In the year 1879, fourteen new students entered our school, but during last year twenty-one new students joined the College. These facts carry the evidence of progress on the face of them.

The work done by the students is very satisfactory, and the gold fillings made by the prizemen in Operative Dental Surgery cannot be surpassed in any kindred institution. With regard to the theoretical portion of their studies,

the students have creditably acquitted themselves in the several examinations.

Mr. Rose last year received the prize for Operative Dental Surgery, and the certificate of honour for Dental Surgery. To-night he is to be presented with the prize medals for Dental Anatomy and Physiology, for Dental Surgery and Pathology, and for Dental Mechanics; also, last, but not least, the "Rymer Gold Medal" for General Proficiency. Mr. Mountford will receive the prize for Metallurgy, and Mr. Hughes the certificate of honour. Mr. Mansell, who last year distinguished himself by carrying off the Gold Medal, has to receive the prize medal for Operative Dental Surgery. In virtue of being prizeman in this subject, he has been appointed Assistant Demonstrator. Mr. Bailey has been awarded the prize for the best piece of Mechanical Work, also the certificate of honour for Dental Mechanics, for Dental Anatomy and Physiology, and for Operative Dental Surgery. Mr. Pidgeon has to be presented with the prize for the best set of Notes of the lectures on Dental Surgery and Pathology, also the certificate of honour for his merit in that subject, and a certificate of honour for Operative Dental Surgery. Mr. Bailey and Mr. Pidgeon so distinguished themselves in that subject by their high-class work that a certificate of honour has been awarded to each. Mr. Spain has to receive a certificate of honour for his paper on Deformities of the Mouth.

We have to express our indebtedness to Dr. W. St. George Elliott for the kindly interest which he has shown, and the very able assistance which he has given us from time to time. It is a matter worthy of much more than self-congratulation that our American friends resident in London have so liberally, and, in so many instances, rendered us such valued services in the past, and yet offer the warm hand of fellowship and co-operation for the future.

The Hospital premises have recently been considerably enlarged, in order to meet the requirements of the rapidly increasing number of patients. With that extension of premises there have also been provided greater facilities for teaching, and better accommodation for our pupils. The more widely the capacity of our school is known, and by careful nursing and diligent supervision continue the production of such good work as the National Dental College is now doing, we need not have any misgivings as to the future.

In conclusion, it remains for me to briefly express the deep sense of appreciation felt by the staff of the Hospital and College of the dignity given to the proceedings of this even

ing by the presidency being occupied by a veteran specialist, a lifelong teacher revered in his profession, and one whose name has for some years been associated with the National Dental College.

The prizemen were then introduced to the Chairman by the respective lecturers, and the distribution of prizes being concluded, the Chairman delivered the following address:

Ladies and Gentlemen,-I think if for once I leave out the gentlemen I shall be expressing more particularly the idea which is passing through my mind. We have just lost one of the greatest and most distinguished men of the dayI need not mention his name-who has, in all his works, pointed out that the success of man depends upon the support and the interest which is taken in him by woman. Upon the present occasion I feel sure that the prizes which have been given to the gentlemen who have been before you will have had their value greatly augmented by the presence with which you have honoured this ceremony. You no doubt take a deep interest in the success in life of the young men of the world; you feel that if they are successful here in the reception of prizes, which they have been studiously engaged in search of for a considerable length of time, they are the men who are most likely to make good sons and good husbands. (Applause.)

It is not the moment to call your attention to the origin of Dentistry, nor to cast one's thoughts to its earliest manifestations on the face of the globe, but it has been suggested, and tradition has handed it down to us, that a beautiful stopping of the teeth was one of the special characteristics of the ancient Egyptians; and, according to this view, that the stopping of teeth must have commenced long before the deluge, nay, must have originated with the very creation of the world. But two of your body, Mr. Warner and Mr. Coleman, have, in course of an inquiry which they themselves made in Egypt, ascertained that this notion of the stopping of teeth by the Egyptians was founded upon error. The Egyptians had the custom of covering their mummies and the faces of their mummies with gold leaf, and some portion of this gold leaf hanging about the teeth gave rise to the notion that they made use of gold for the purpose of stopping the teeth. In real truth I believe that the great advances which have been made in this department are traceable to a very short distance from the present period, and that they may be embraced within the present century. Let me allude to the manufacture of artificial teeth-a manufacture which exhibits a great advance in the progress of Dental art. Next we have the invention of vulcanite, and then we have those

important methods of stopping which, at the present day, convert an imperfect tooth into an organ capable of performing its duties almost as thoroughly as if it were perfect and sound. Many of those present, particularly the ladies, would hardly, until this evening, have formed an idea of the extent of study necessary for the pursuits of the Dentist; that he must needs be acquainted with the anatomy and the physiology of the mouth in a state of health; that he must be able to distinguish between those conditions, which are a diversion from the standard of health, which constitute what is called pathology; that he must make himself acquainted with the best mode of operating; that, moreover, as you have heard and seen this evening, he must be an apt mechanic and capable of using his powers in that direction, not only upon the living mouth, but also in the production of machinery or contrivance which may be necessary for the comfort of the mouth itself. We have had also before us this evening one gentleman who undertakes the removal of any of those irregularities of the mouth which might interfere with personal appearance, and we know how wonderfully able Dentists are in removing appearances about the mouth which, if they were allowed to continue, would give rise to very great inconvenience and, above all, spoil the comeliness of an otherwise beautiful face.

Not, however, content with the study of the mouth and the teeth, and the diseases of both, and the contrivances for removing the teeth and for making those adjustments which are necessary for the comfort of the mouth, we have heard, moreover, that there is another study which it becomes necessary that they should be acquainted with-metallurgy -that they should be obliged to pass through the labours of the laboratory, to examine and test the qualities and nature of metals in order to adapt them to the necessities of the diseases which they have under their control. It is clear that it is not sufficient at the present day to write up the word "Dentist" over one's door for the purpose of ensuring either success to the individual or reputation with the general public.

There is a story, which many of you may have heard, of a Dentist of that quality, who, having been visited by a patient, and that patient having placed himself in the chair and having submitted somewhat awkwardly to the application of a Fox's key, which shook the very foundations of the chair upon which the patient was seated, at last succeeded in bringing away a mass of something in the Fox's key, and having completed what appeared the duty which he had engaged himself upon, he then forthwith began to dance

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about the room in high exultation. When the patient asked him why he did that he said "It is the first tooth I ever pulled out." (Laughter.) In the present day we are happily not exposed to operators of that character; but we have seen to-night appearing before this table the stuff out out of which, not only good operators and distinguished professional men in their department of life, but likewise, I trust and believe, gentlemen may be made. The Dentist aspires to something more than to be a mere puller of teeth: he asks for a status in society, and he has succeeded by his industry and determination in attaining it. We have heard the Dean this evening especially make reference to the Register which enables the public to know who are Dentists and who are not Dentists; it is a public recognition of their position as Dentists; and if we trace them a little further and find them educated in schools such as these, we may be quite sure that we are trusting ourselves in the hands of men who are worthy of our highest trust, and who will discharge their duties towards us most honestly and perfectly.

But while I have said a word for ourselves, and another word for those gentlemen who have been prizemen upon the present occasion, it behoves us likewise to cast a thought upon those senior men who have been the leaders in this progress of instruction. (Applause.) You may have seen the zeal with which the gentlemen on either side of me have spoken this evening, when they have referred to their own subject, when they have referred to their own school, and the manner in which the instruction has been carried out and communicated there; indeed, it would be hardly possible for us to separate this evening to the pleasures which the Dentists have further procured for us, and the harmonies which are ready to receive us, without feeling that the Dentists of England, and especially those of the Institution with which we are now connected-gentlemen who are wisely engaged in perfecting that branch of scientific surgery with which they are associated-men who will not leave a stone unturned to make Dentistry as perfect as possible-are those who will not only relieve the pains of the moment but will give us the means of utilising our happiness and our comfort for a considerable number of years. For it must be admitted that the Dentist not only removes our pains but he contributes to our comfort in eating, to our powers of digestion, and thereby gives us not only temporary comfort but actually is the means of the prolongation of life. (Applause.) Ladies and gentlemen, I feel that you will all separate, as I shall leave this place this evening, with the satisfaction that we have been associated with men who are doing their duty

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