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The next orthodontic leadership
PUBLISHED
THE FlFTEEN?‘H
OF EVERY
THE C. V. MOSSY Co., 3523-25 Fumtgn Depots-Great Britain-Henry Kimpton, 263 High Holborn, London, w. c.; duai+9-uZaslcP--Stirling & Co., 317 Collins Street, Modern Chambers, Melbourne: I&+“Practical Medicine,” Egerton Street, Delhi: Port0 Rico-Pedro C. Tlmothee, Rafael Corder0 68, San Juan, P. R. Sobseriptian Rates-Single Copies, 75 cents. To any place in United States, Cuba, Port0 Rico, Canal Zone, Mexico, Hawaii and Philippine Islands, $7.00 per year in advance. Under foreign postage, $7.40. Volume begins with January and ends with December of each year. Remlttn~ns-Remittances for subscriptions should be made by check, draft, postofRce or express rn;;;y zrder, payable to the publishers, . V. Mosby Company. Contributieaa-The editor will be pleased to consider the publication of original communications of merit on orthodontic and allied subjects, which must be contributed solely to this Journal.
at the
Post Office Additional
BY
St. Louis, MO.
CaauPllli*stlwontrlbuted actbsiss, illustrations, letters, books for revleW, and all other matter pertaining to the editorial department should be a~d~~ea~~ to the Editor, Dr. R. C. Pollock, 4483 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, baa. All cBmmunications in re&%rd to advertising, subscriptions, change of add&s& et%, sbowRl be addressed to the publishers, The C. ‘$. . il$$y &?omgany, 3S%3-15 Pine Blvd., f . IlIna$rat&~a-Such half-tones and zinc etchings as in the judgment of the editor are necessary to lilustrate azticles wtil b$’ furnished when photogrilghs or drPwin#W are supplied by the authors of said articles. adverA$vertiH~eatcObjectlonable tisements will not be accepted for publiForms alone first cation in this Journal. of month preceding date of issue. Advertising rates and sizes on application. publishers clmnge of A$dsree-The should be advised of change of #ubsU+liber’s address about fifteen days b&x% &ate of issue with both new and old a,ddrasses given.
OginlenbNeither the editor nor the publisher hold themselves responsible for the opfnions of contributors, nor are they responsible for other than editorial statements. Reprints-The publishers will communicate with authors regarding reprints upon publication of paper. Entered
lad,
l4WNTH
Nonreeelpt oi Cepies-Complaints for nonreceipt of copies or requests for extra numbers must be received on or before the fifteenth of the month of publication; otherwise the supply may be exhausted. II_ ._.--.-! at St. Louis, MO., as Second-Class &fatter Entry at Fulton, MO. --r -_-___-
I
EDITORIALS The Next Orthodadic
U
Ltiw&ip
PON the professional stage of action things are changing rapidly? as are all things at this time. Concepts orthodontic are changing as well, aad it is interesting to interview the younger men in the orthodontic &Ad of endeavor to learn, to know and to survey their attitude toward the gleneral or whole picture of their profession. They represerit the new thought, t&e recent approach to the subject. They mentally reflect a new----or perhaps a better adjective than new would be great, big or broad-picture of the subject as contrasted to the mecha.nical or a.pplied epoch of twenty years past. 887
888
E&&vials
A young man of ten’ years’ experience in ort’hodontia, a graduate of an eminently well-known postgradua,te school course of eight weeks’ duration, a man who has availed himself of every short postgraduate course available to him in the past ten years, in other words a modern well-trained and wellrounded-out orthodontist, was asked by this editor to write, in short and to the point, his concept of the status orthodontic of 1932. It will be interesting to our readers to know what he wrote. It follows: “When one considers the vast amount of material which has been contributed to the science of orthodontia, thereby tracing the progress of this specialty to the present day, he realizes that the subject matter assumes formidable proportions. “The initiate to the practice of orthodontia is confronted with a serious problem. Having just returned from a postgraduate course of instruction, consisting of several weeks of intensive study in the fundamentals of the science, with his mind full of systems of procedure, contradictory statements advanced by orthodontists, and an armamentarium of strange instruments, he is bewildered and seeks surcease from doubt and uncertainty in the literaThe contributions of the leaders of thought on the subture on the subject. ject seem to be at variance with one another. What is he to do? Whom is he to follow? He must consider that authoritative statements as such, are nonexistent-their context may be altered by the state of the individual’s physical, emotional and environmental fitness. The student should, instead, select from every available source of information some shreds of evidence This, then, becomes which he can apply to his understanding of the subject. the residuum of scientific information upon which he must depend, until, by dint of effort, clinical practice and observation, he can arrive at a method of procedure which is peculiarly adapted to his concept of the orthodontic problem. “THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ORTHODONTIA, ORAL SURGERY AND RADIOGRAPHY has for seventeen years published the thoughts, writings and discus-
sions of the leading contributors of the time, and when one thumbs the various editions of t,his publication, he is impressed with the ‘fac.t that no one man However, there are formulas or system can be followed or accepted literally. advanced by some of the older scientists which, by reason of strict ‘investigation and years of successful application, have become accepted as fact. “The student must turn to the study of natural and biological phenomena for an answer to his problem. The masticatory mechanism’is not to be considered as a separate organism but as one of an aggregation of organs, all interdependent and subject to the same laws of growth and. development as the organism as a whole. Physical and biological laws do not necessarily coincide. In spite of the so-called axioms of treatment advanced by our scientific literateurs, we cannot lose sight of the fact that certain developmental phenomena are misconstrued, are treated as anomalies and the results obtained are occasionally satisfactory, in spite of the appliances used. Upon close observation, it will be found that a .number of these cases would have matured properly if allowed to go on unmolested by mechanical contrivances. Again, many cases are discharged as treated long before the necessary age
of maturity, only to have them return: years later. relapsed. This sad at?iiir. in many cases, is responsible for the denouncement of the system of’ treatm~~nt used. and marks the birth of a new one. “It follows then, that clinical experience becomes one of the best instrumenta at our disposal. Conventions of orthodontists. orthodont,ic lite,rature and conversations wit,h other men in the field all serve their purpose, siucc it enables the student to evaluate the current thought on the subject i1tld apply it to his best advantage. “The beginner in orthodontia is the scientist of tomorrow. and long after the present authorities have passed to their just desserts, he must ta!*t*y the banner. and by understanding that his patients are just as human and living as himself. be able, perhaps, to approach the solution of the orthodontic& problem. ” If the above train of thought reflects the attitude of many of the younger men in orthodontia, it is plainly obvious that orthodontia as a scienet~ is destined for far greater progress “than it has enjoyed in the pant, that, the pioneering days are passing, along with so-called mechanical systems in orthodontia. This Journal believes the thoughts reflected in this young man’s words are for progress in orthodontia as a science. f-i. c. P
Debgates
D
ELEGATES to dental a.nd medical conventions fall into two groups: those who seek and those who are sought. In the first class belong the p&icians in dentistry and medicine. and they are legion. In the second &ss belong the dentist and physician who do not ,seek political preferment, but upon whose shoulders is placed by their colleagues, the political leadership of the local society. State and national dental and medical conventions are made up of these two types of delegates. Let it be said in passing that it is no easy t.ask to successfully carry out. the obligation of a delegate to conventions. If one dots nothing at such meetings or if there is nothing but routine work to be done, then being a delegate is not,hing more than a rubber stamp signature to a circular letter. But, on the other hand, let important measures be pending, measures that mea,n much either in developing or retarding dentistry or rncditine, and the picture changes materially. Then as a delegate one has reepousibilities to carry. It would be well if members of local and stat,e dental and medical socrioties could be made to realize that there are obligations connected with alloyIhIing oneself to assume the duties of being a delegate to such conventions. as it were. would be of great benefit to both deucoming “delegate minded,” tistry and medicine. A realization of the seriousness of such obligations would make delegates take up their duties with a feeling of responsibility, and not with the feeling so much in evidence now that it, affords an opportunity of airing some personal grievance or putting over some pet idea.
THE FlFTEEN?‘H
OF EVERY
THE C. V. MOSSY Co., 3523-25 Fumtgn Depots-Great Britain-Henry Kimpton, 263 High Holborn, London, w. c.; duai+9-uZaslcP--Stirling & Co., 317 Collins Street, Modern Chambers, Melbourne: I&+“Practical Medicine,” Egerton Street, Delhi: Port0 Rico-Pedro C. Tlmothee, Rafael Corder0 68, San Juan, P. R. Sobseriptian Rates-Single Copies, 75 cents. To any place in United States, Cuba, Port0 Rico, Canal Zone, Mexico, Hawaii and Philippine Islands, $7.00 per year in advance. Under foreign postage, $7.40. Volume begins with January and ends with December of each year. Remlttn~ns-Remittances for subscriptions should be made by check, draft, postofRce or express rn;;;y zrder, payable to the publishers, . V. Mosby Company. Contributieaa-The editor will be pleased to consider the publication of original communications of merit on orthodontic and allied subjects, which must be contributed solely to this Journal.
at the
Post Office Additional
BY
St. Louis, MO.
CaauPllli*stlwontrlbuted actbsiss, illustrations, letters, books for revleW, and all other matter pertaining to the editorial department should be a~d~~ea~~ to the Editor, Dr. R. C. Pollock, 4483 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, baa. All cBmmunications in re&%rd to advertising, subscriptions, change of add&s& et%, sbowRl be addressed to the publishers, The C. ‘$. . il$$y &?omgany, 3S%3-15 Pine Blvd., f . IlIna$rat&~a-Such half-tones and zinc etchings as in the judgment of the editor are necessary to lilustrate azticles wtil b$’ furnished when photogrilghs or drPwin#W are supplied by the authors of said articles. adverA$vertiH~eatcObjectlonable tisements will not be accepted for publiForms alone first cation in this Journal. of month preceding date of issue. Advertising rates and sizes on application. publishers clmnge of A$dsree-The should be advised of change of #ubsU+liber’s address about fifteen days b&x% &ate of issue with both new and old a,ddrasses given.
OginlenbNeither the editor nor the publisher hold themselves responsible for the opfnions of contributors, nor are they responsible for other than editorial statements. Reprints-The publishers will communicate with authors regarding reprints upon publication of paper. Entered
lad,
l4WNTH
Nonreeelpt oi Cepies-Complaints for nonreceipt of copies or requests for extra numbers must be received on or before the fifteenth of the month of publication; otherwise the supply may be exhausted. II_ ._.--.-! at St. Louis, MO., as Second-Class &fatter Entry at Fulton, MO. --r -_-___-
I
EDITORIALS The Next Orthodadic
U
Ltiw&ip
PON the professional stage of action things are changing rapidly? as are all things at this time. Concepts orthodontic are changing as well, aad it is interesting to interview the younger men in the orthodontic &Ad of endeavor to learn, to know and to survey their attitude toward the gleneral or whole picture of their profession. They represerit the new thought, t&e recent approach to the subject. They mentally reflect a new----or perhaps a better adjective than new would be great, big or broad-picture of the subject as contrasted to the mecha.nical or a.pplied epoch of twenty years past. 887
888
E&&vials
A young man of ten’ years’ experience in ort’hodontia, a graduate of an eminently well-known postgradua,te school course of eight weeks’ duration, a man who has availed himself of every short postgraduate course available to him in the past ten years, in other words a modern well-trained and wellrounded-out orthodontist, was asked by this editor to write, in short and to the point, his concept of the status orthodontic of 1932. It will be interesting to our readers to know what he wrote. It follows: “When one considers the vast amount of material which has been contributed to the science of orthodontia, thereby tracing the progress of this specialty to the present day, he realizes that the subject matter assumes formidable proportions. “The initiate to the practice of orthodontia is confronted with a serious problem. Having just returned from a postgraduate course of instruction, consisting of several weeks of intensive study in the fundamentals of the science, with his mind full of systems of procedure, contradictory statements advanced by orthodontists, and an armamentarium of strange instruments, he is bewildered and seeks surcease from doubt and uncertainty in the literaThe contributions of the leaders of thought on the subture on the subject. ject seem to be at variance with one another. What is he to do? Whom is he to follow? He must consider that authoritative statements as such, are nonexistent-their context may be altered by the state of the individual’s physical, emotional and environmental fitness. The student should, instead, select from every available source of information some shreds of evidence This, then, becomes which he can apply to his understanding of the subject. the residuum of scientific information upon which he must depend, until, by dint of effort, clinical practice and observation, he can arrive at a method of procedure which is peculiarly adapted to his concept of the orthodontic problem. “THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ORTHODONTIA, ORAL SURGERY AND RADIOGRAPHY has for seventeen years published the thoughts, writings and discus-
sions of the leading contributors of the time, and when one thumbs the various editions of t,his publication, he is impressed with the ‘fac.t that no one man However, there are formulas or system can be followed or accepted literally. advanced by some of the older scientists which, by reason of strict ‘investigation and years of successful application, have become accepted as fact. “The student must turn to the study of natural and biological phenomena for an answer to his problem. The masticatory mechanism’is not to be considered as a separate organism but as one of an aggregation of organs, all interdependent and subject to the same laws of growth and. development as the organism as a whole. Physical and biological laws do not necessarily coincide. In spite of the so-called axioms of treatment advanced by our scientific literateurs, we cannot lose sight of the fact that certain developmental phenomena are misconstrued, are treated as anomalies and the results obtained are occasionally satisfactory, in spite of the appliances used. Upon close observation, it will be found that a .number of these cases would have matured properly if allowed to go on unmolested by mechanical contrivances. Again, many cases are discharged as treated long before the necessary age
of maturity, only to have them return: years later. relapsed. This sad at?iiir. in many cases, is responsible for the denouncement of the system of’ treatm~~nt used. and marks the birth of a new one. “It follows then, that clinical experience becomes one of the best instrumenta at our disposal. Conventions of orthodontists. orthodont,ic lite,rature and conversations wit,h other men in the field all serve their purpose, siucc it enables the student to evaluate the current thought on the subject i1tld apply it to his best advantage. “The beginner in orthodontia is the scientist of tomorrow. and long after the present authorities have passed to their just desserts, he must ta!*t*y the banner. and by understanding that his patients are just as human and living as himself. be able, perhaps, to approach the solution of the orthodontic& problem. ” If the above train of thought reflects the attitude of many of the younger men in orthodontia, it is plainly obvious that orthodontia as a scienet~ is destined for far greater progress “than it has enjoyed in the pant, that, the pioneering days are passing, along with so-called mechanical systems in orthodontia. This Journal believes the thoughts reflected in this young man’s words are for progress in orthodontia as a science. f-i. c. P
Debgates
D
ELEGATES to dental a.nd medical conventions fall into two groups: those who seek and those who are sought. In the first class belong the p&icians in dentistry and medicine. and they are legion. In the second &ss belong the dentist and physician who do not ,seek political preferment, but upon whose shoulders is placed by their colleagues, the political leadership of the local society. State and national dental and medical conventions are made up of these two types of delegates. Let it be said in passing that it is no easy t.ask to successfully carry out. the obligation of a delegate to conventions. If one dots nothing at such meetings or if there is nothing but routine work to be done, then being a delegate is not,hing more than a rubber stamp signature to a circular letter. But, on the other hand, let important measures be pending, measures that mea,n much either in developing or retarding dentistry or rncditine, and the picture changes materially. Then as a delegate one has reepousibilities to carry. It would be well if members of local and stat,e dental and medical socrioties could be made to realize that there are obligations connected with alloyIhIing oneself to assume the duties of being a delegate to such conventions. as it were. would be of great benefit to both deucoming “delegate minded,” tistry and medicine. A realization of the seriousness of such obligations would make delegates take up their duties with a feeling of responsibility, and not with the feeling so much in evidence now that it, affords an opportunity of airing some personal grievance or putting over some pet idea.