University of Maryland Baltimore Dental School - Mirror Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

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History of Baltimore College of Dental Surgery It will probably be news to most persons to know that Baltimore has the distinction of having instituted the first dental college in the world, and of having originated the degree of D.D.S., Doctor of Dental Surgery, now used by most of the denta l colleges of the United States and Canada and in some parts of Europe. Yes, such is the case. For many years the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery was the only institution of its kind in existence. It was chartered in 1839 by the Act of the Legislature of the State of Mar} ' - land, the following gentlemen constituting the Faculty: H. H. Hayden, M.D., Professor of Physiology and Pathology; R. W. Baxley, M.D. , Professor of Anatomy; C. A. Harris, M.D., Professor of Theory and Practice of Dentistry; and Thomas E. Bond, M.D., Professor of Therapeutics. Perhaps at this place it would not be amiss to insert a short sketch of the lives of two of the gentlemen whose names are mentioned above, and who were really the founders of our College. For the following sketches we are indebted to Charles McManus, D.D.S., of Hartford, Conn. CHAPIN A. HARRIS was born in 1806, in Pompej New York. He commenced his medical studies early in life and began practice in Ohio. His attention was called to Dentistry by his brother, John Harris. Until after 1827, however, he gave but little attention to dental practice except to extract and clean teeth and insert a few fillings; when, after studying Hunter, Fox, and Delabarre, he entered upon the exclusive practice of dental surgery. From 1827 to 1833 he traveled South and West, elevating the profession of dentistry and establishing his reputation. In 1833 he opened an office in Baltimore and wrote largely on dental subjects. In 1839 he published his first edition of his Principles and Practice of Dental Surgery. With tlie end in view of preser ' ing the experience of the profession, he visited New York and with some of the leading dentists of that city established a peri- odical devoted especially to the interests of the profession. Drs. Harris and Eleazer Parmly were joint editors of this periodical and, in accordance with the arrange- ment, the first volume was issued from New York, June, 1839, under the title of

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% ' - ' ' ' - Advisory Board C. Ferrell. Dr. W. G. Fostkr, I ' DGAR F. Mason.

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The American Journal of Dental Science. During the first year of its publi- cation it was issued with some irregularity at the price of 13 per armum. It was printed in Baltimore. His next task was the creating of faculties for educat- ing men for the duties of the dental profession; accordingly in the winter of 1839-40, he obtained signatures to a petition to be laid before the Legislature of Maryland for the incorporation of a College of Dental Surgerj , at Baltimore. After much opposition the charter was granted and Dr. Harris continued through life to exercise the duties of one of its most important professorships. In 1840 Dr. H. H. Hayden went to New York and Boston with the design of forming a Dental Society. Dr. Harris, among others, immediately responded to the call and the speedy result was the organization of the American Society of Dental Surgeons. In 1840 he published a Monograph of the Physical Characteristics of the Teeth ; in 1841 a Dissertation on the Diseases of the Maxillary Sinus. He also revised his Principles and Practice through several editions, and completed his Dictionary of Dental Science, Biography, Bibliography and Medical Terminology. He also translated from the French the works of Delabarre. Tlirough his labors for the profession and his unbounded generosity, although his practice was large, he died poor in the city of Baltimore on the 29th of Sep- tember, 1860. HORACE H. HAYDEN was born at Windsor, Conn., October 13, 1768. He was remarkable from his childhood, and it is said that he learned to read almost as soon as he did to talk, and at once contracted that love for books which was so marked all through his life. While a boy he also manifested a great fondness for natural history which clung to him in after life. At ten years of age he began the study of classics, but, probably for the want of means, soon abandoned it and at the age of four- teen, in the humble capacity of cabin boy of a fine brig, lie made two voyages to the West Indies. At the age of sixteen he became apprenticed to an architect until he became of age. He then pursued his business in the West Indies, Connecticut and New York. While in the latter State he had occasion to call on Dr. John Greenwood (dentist) for his services, when the thought struck him that he would like to follow that profession. Obtaining such information as he could from Dr. Green- wood ' s instructions and from his books, he went in 1804 to Baltimore, Md., to practise the profession and labored to elevate the calling. To this end he commenced the study of medicine, and in later life the honorary degree of Doctor of Medicine was conferred upon him both by the l niversity of Maryland and the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia. In 1814 he was appointed acting surgeon in tlie Thirty-ninth Regiment of Maryland Militia. 11