Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 06.djvu/165

DENS. 131 DENTISTRY. 1832). It is a systematic exposition and defense — in llie form of a eateeliisni — of every |)oint of etli- ics and doctrine maintained by Roman Catliolies, and lias lieen e.Mensively adopted as a U'Xt-liook in their colleges. The easuistieal parts of the work have been severely criticised by Protestant moralists, and were translated in a condensed form by .1. F. Ber- (Philadelphia, 1840). DENSITY. See Specific Gravity; Mole- IILE.S— .Al0LECLL.R WEIGHTS; VvU'OR. DENT, Freoerick Tracy (1820-92). An American soldier, born in White Haven, Mo. He graduated at West Point in 1843, was as- signed as brevet second lieutenant to the Sixth Infantry, served in the Southern campaign during the Mexican War, and was brevetted first lieutenant and captain for gallant and meri- torious conduct in the battles of Contreras and Cluirubusco, and in the battle of .Molino del Rev, respectively. He subsequently served for sixteen years on frontier duty, taking part in the Yakima expedition: was promoted to be major in Jlarch, 18G3, and was stationed in Xew York to suppress anticipated riots in 1863. In 1805 he was bre- vetted brigadier-general of volunteers for gallant and meritorious services, and in 18G6 was made hrigadier-geneial of volunteers. In 1873 he served on the staff of the general-in-chief : was in command of Fort Trumbull, Conn., in 1875, and of the post of Saint Augustine in 1881. DENTAL FORMULA. A formal statement of the number and arrangement of the teeth. See Tketii. DENTALS (Xeo-Lat. drntnlis. from Lat. dens, tooth). A name given to the sounds repre- sented by the letters t, d, th, as made by the tongue aj;ainst the teeth.. DENTA'TUS, Manius Cubiu.S. A Roman eminent for his warlike exploits and the repub- lican simplicity of his fashion of life. He wag three times consul. During his first incumbency, he triumphed over the Samnites and the Sabines, and during his second (B.C. 275). defeated Pjt- rhus. near Beneventum, and drove him from Italy. In B.(. 272 he becar.ie censor. It is related that on one occasion a Sabine embas.sy, sent to his farm with gifts, found him roasting turnips at the hearth. Rejecting the gifts, he ded.ired that he preferred rather to rule those possessing gold than himself to possess it. He is often referred to by later writers as a citizen of the old school. It was he who dug the canal from Lake Velinus to the River Xera, where it falls in the well-known cascade of Terni. DEN'TICE (Lat. dentix, a kind of sea-fish: from </<».';. tooth, on account of its voracious- ness) . A fish of the genus Dentex. family Sparid.-e (sea-breams, etc.), having a deep, compressed body, and generally perch-like form: a single dorsal fin, the anterior rays of which arc spin- ous: scaly cheeks; and large canine teeth. One species (Dpvifx rulfinriit) , 'dentix' of the ancient Romans, abounds in the Mediterranean, and attains 20 to 30 pounds weight. Tt is excessively voracious, devouring other fislies; but is itself in much request as an article of human food, and great numbers are taken in southern Italy, and in Dalmafia and the Levant, where it is a con- sideralde article of commerce, being cut in pieces, and packed in barrels with vinegar and spices as ■well as served fresh. DENTIFRICE, den'ti-fris (Lat. dentifri- riiiiii. tooth powder, from dens, tooth + fricarc, to rub). . y substance, generally a powder, which is employed as an aid in cleaning the teeth. Char"oal and cuttlefish-bone powder are useful as detergents; chalk, as a .soft powder.; and pumice, as a hard, gritty substance for occa- sional use, when the teeth are more than ordi- narily colored. Catechu, cinchona, and rhatany are employed to give astringency to the tooth- powder: myrrh, to impart odor; and bole arme- niac, to communicate a red color. Common salt, cream of tartar, phosphate of soda, and sul- phate of potash are occasionally used; and where the breath has an unpleasant odor, the addition of four parts of bleaching-powder (chlo- ride of lime) to 100 of the tooth-powder re- moves the fetid character of the breath, and also tends to whiten the teeth. An excellent mouth-wash may be prepared by adding to a tumblerful of water 10 or 15 drops of a mixture containing equal parts of carbolic acid and essence of peppermint. DENTILS (Lat. deiiticidus, dimin. of dens,. tooth). A series of small blocks, arranged in a row at regular intervals, especially under the corona in a classical cornice. They are used in the Greek, Ionic, and Corinthian orders, and by the Romans also in the Doric and Composite orders. See Extablature. DENTINE, den'tin (Fr., from Lat. dens,. Engl, tootli)- The tissue forming the principal mass of the teeth. It is a modification of osse- ous tissue, but differs from this in structure and chemical composition. ilieroscopical ex- amination shows numerous minute branchinsj tubules imbedded in a dense intertubular sub- stance, and opening into the cavity of the tooth, which contains the pulp. Externally, the crown of the tooth is covered by a thin layer of enamel, which is extremely hard and compact. DENTIROSTRES, den'ti-ros'trez ( pi. of Xeo- Lat. rff'»/i)vis(ri.s'. from Lat. dens. Engl, tooth -f- rostrum, beak, bill). A term no longer in use, formerly designating an artificial group of birds, mostly insectivorous, having a notch and 'tooth' in the margin of the upper mandible. DENTISTRY. The science of disea.ses or lesions of the teeth and adjacent organs, and the art of making and inserting appliances for the correction of loss, deformity, injury, or malposi- tion of those organs. The two main branches of dentistry are prosthetic or mechanical dentistry, sometimes called prosthodontia, and operative or surgical dentistry. It is not easy to draw a distinct line of demarcation between these two branches, for much of the work considered to be in the province of the operative department is really prosthtdc or mechanical, and vise versa. Prosthesis in its surgical sense has been defined to be 'the addition of an artificial part to supply a defect of the body.' Many of the conditions about the mouth which call for treatment require on the part of the dentist an intimate knowledge of both branches, and the treatment is both prosthetic and operative. The operation of fill- ing teeth, and also the insertion of inlays, al- fhough generally considere<l as lielouging to the department of operative dentistrv. are to a certain extent prosthetic, since they supply arti- ficial stibstitites for lost natural parts. LTnder the head of operative dentistry would come also