Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Nelson Historical Society Journal, Volume 6, Issue 4, 2001

Improving Techniques and Technology

Improving Techniques and Technology

Anaesthetics and Anaesthesia

In the early days in Nelson, patients were offered general anaesthesia by chloroform and ether, which was dripped onto a face mask. Full dental clearances were carried out in the home, usually on the patient's bed, but frequently on the kitchen table, with poor lighting conditions and no suction. Later, nitrous oxide and oxygen was used, in later years with pentothal induction and endotracheal entubation. Up until the last decade, general anaesthetics administered by trained doctors were carried out page 14routinely in the dental surgery. That no longer happens. For local anaesthetics, cocaine was originally made up in test tubes and administered through a syringe. Cocaine tablets were used, dissolved in the test tube, and drawn up in the syringe.

Dentists were trained to make dentures in vulcanite which involved a tricky packing procedure, before steam pressure curing at 300+C in a pressurecooker like system. The dentures were difficult to polish. The early dentists were proficient in the casting of good gold inlays and it is not uncommon to still see such inlays today, made by men such as Bill or Lex Squires.

Before the advent of antibiotics it was essential to complete the operation as quickly as possible, to try and avoid the possibility of osteomyelitis. There was a tendency to leave broken roots behind and, of course, there were no X-rays.

In April 1921 the School Dental Service came into being, with thirty-five women beginning training as School Dental Nurses in Tinakori Road, Wellington, in what is now the Prime Minister's house. Some of you may well remember the trips to the Shelbourne Street dental clinic, commonly called the 'murder house,' where the drill was powered by a foot treadle. Dental nurses are now dental therapists, use a high speed water cooled dental drill and no longer wear a veil.

Nelson Dental Families

Down through the years there have been several families who have contributed to the dental profession in the Province.

Tatton

We know of JW Tatton's exploits in both the dental and mineral fields. His son Arthur William, born in Nelson in 1861, went into practice with his father and there have been subsequent Tattons who have become dentists. Claude Egerton Tatton, Arthur's son, also practised in his grandfather's building in Trafalgar Street, in partnership with a Mr Spiers. He went to the USA and brought back one of the first dental X-ray machines in New Zealand. He contracted TB from a patient and died at at an early age leaving nine children.

page 15

Hoby

Arthur Hoby, who graduated in Ireland with an LDS, was the first secretary of the New Zealand Dental Association when it was formed in 1905. GF (George) Hoby practised in Anstice's Buildings in Trafalgar Street. His son GAB (Tony) Hoby came to Nelson from Oarnaru and practised in Anstice's Buildings before moving in with Lex Squires, above Louis Kerr the jeweller's.

Rawson

Henry Freer Rawson came to practise in Nelson between 1862 and 1873, during which time his advertisements appeared in the Nelson Examiner and The Colonist. His Nelson addresses were variously given as Mr Lockhart, Hardy Street, nearly opposite the Institute, Nile Street East, Trafalgar Square, and Brick House near the Bridge Street Bridge, (formerly Mrs Greenwood's school). He also advised of regular visits to Messrs Laking and Mitton's surgery in Richmond, and Dr Cotterell's surgery in Motueka.

While he was at the Hardy Street address in 1868 Henry Rawson became the talk of the town. It was reported in the Nelson Examiner that 'due to an incautious use of spirits of wine by night light' Henry Rawson and John Greenwood caused a major conflagration while employed in some dentistry operations. Lengthy reports appeared in both Nelson papers, describing how several houses were destroyed but, mercifully, the Panama Hotel was saved. The new fire hydrant system was used for the first time, but there was a sorry spectacle of firemen needing to douse the flames with buckets filled from a hose that was too short.

Henry was perhaps better noted for his paintings than his dentistry and was a friend and pupil of John Gully the artist. Both originated in Taranaki and both toured the country with their palettes and water-colour paints. He was a landscape painter and an engraver and one of his paintings, of the Omata Stockade, is in the Taranaki Museum. Henry died prematurely in 1879.

Henry's younger brother, Herbert Pearson Rawson, was our Nelson doctor Dr Dick Rawson's grandfather. Herbert had been apprenticed to study dentistry with Henry, who was 14 years his senior, and he took over his practice in Bolton Street, Wellington, on Henry's death in 1879. Although, like Tatton, he had mining interests in Nelson, Herbert never actually practised here. He was chairman of an optimistic but unsuccessful mining page 16enterprise which abandoned attempts to mine gold at Wakamarina Gorge near Canvastown in 1898. The company had the grand title of the Wakamarina and Deep Creek Gold Mining Company. The first President of the New Zealand Dental Association in 1905, he was often referred to as the 'father of dentistry' in New Zealand.

Squires

WW (William) Squires started practice in Louis Kerr's buildings in 1910. He was President of the New Zealand Dental Association in 1926, and was also a Life Member. Following the Murchison earthquake in 1929 he practised for a time at his home, on the corner of Bronte and Shelbourne Streets, while his place of practice was rebuilt.

Alexander (Lex) Squires also practised in Louis Kerr's buildings when he came to work for his father in 1935. He was away during the war years, but recommenced practice in Nelson in 1944. Both men were very skilled and innovative dentists, with Bill being a particularly fine prosthetist and gold worker, while Lex was innovative in the use of the new porcelain techniques and oral surgery. Lex was tragically killed in a car accident when he hit a small bridge on the Stoke Straight on 8 June 1948.

Beresford

RB (Bernie) Beresford graduated from dental school in 1944 and went to work for his father, RW Beresford, in Taumaranui. Following military service during 1945/6, and a year's practice in Taumaranui, he commenced practice in Richmond, Nelson. He served on the NZDA Council for several years, was an examiner for the School Dental Service and was President of the NZDA in 1976. He was made a life member of the Nelson Branch in 1996.

Conclusion

It can be seen that over the years dentists have progressed from lowly artisans to full professional status. This has been achieved by the introduction of major technological innovations that have revolutionised dentistry throughout the western world. There has also been a major input from men and women of vision and clinical excellence, who have served the profession well. In Nelson they have not only served their profession, but they have also had a considerable input into their community.