THE TEETH OF THE ARMY.
(To THE EDITOR or TR' " SPICTITOR.'l Sta,-1. write as a general medical practitioner. As compared with Canada and the United States of America, the knowledge that the teeth require constant attention is in its infancy in this country. At the present time about twelve hundred properly qualified eentists are :serving in the British Army, of whom lees than five hundred are serving as Army dental surgeons. The remainder are serving as combatants, Many as privates. In other words, there are about five hundred dental surgeons to look after an Army which numbers millions of men. America has one dental surgeon for each thousand men. Poison continually swallowed from decayed teeth lowers the energy of the individual, and, in an Army of millions of men, most of whom have septic mouths, the neglect of proper dental treatment insist greatly lower its fighting- power. The proper function of an Army Dental Service is the anticipation of decayed teeth rather than their cure. Inspection should take place regularly, and defects should be attended to before actual pain or other discomfort occurs. Nerve cases are row very numerous, and it is more than ever important that the men should be kept in the highest state of phyaical fitness. The regular inspection of all mouths is an important means to that end. If the six to seven hundred properly qualified dentists now acting as combatants were employed on dental work, it would add greatly to the fighting efficiency of the Army and to its effective
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