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AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF
DENTISTRY.
FORMAL OPENING CEREMONY.
Tho opening ceremony in connection with tho
Australian College of Dontistry recently estab
lished in Melbourne took place last evening,
when, at the invitation of the council of tho
coucge, auoua iuu guests assemuieu at tuo
Vienna Cafth In tlie absence of tho first presi
dent, Mr. Simon Fraser, M.L.C., tho vice-
president, Mr. John Iliffe, occupied the chair.
At tho opening of tho proceedings,
The Chairman said that they had met to
celebrate tho commencement of tlie Australian
College of Dentistry and its affiliation with the
Melbourne Dental Hospital, a sphere of useful
ness which appealed to their warmest sympathy
and hearty co-opcr&tioii, as it afforded relief to
the poor suffering from doutal troubles, and also
provided instruction for students who would be
dentists in tho near future. The council
hoped h' means of this institution to protect
the public from the incompetence and ignorance
of those who the>' feared were sometimes un
scrupulous persons. By theao means thoy
honed to elevate tho profession to its proper
status. The- aimed at a high standard, a
standard which was essontial in this age,
because it demanded tbo very highest in arts,
literature and science. During the last GO years
; the progress of knowledge and research
| liad been unparalleled, and tho de
mand for them was a high standard of
education. Why should Victoria lag behind
in dental education ? He ventured to say that
if thc>' worked . harmoniously, in sympathy
with each other, and without solfishness, the'
would obtain tho object of thoir desire. He
then formally declared the college open, and
wished both the college and the hospital "God
spoed."
I Dr. A. I\ Merrill read tho rUlcs and curricu-
( lum of the college, pointing out that the insfci-
tution was to be Btrictly one of dontistr', and
! tliat every care was to be taken to provide the
| highest quality of education. Tho course
I would be one of the most practical in
j the world, lie had been connected with
I dentistry almost from its inception as an
! organised effort, and ho felt 'assured that at
this colleges students would be ablo to receive as
good an education as could bo obtained any
where. It was felt by the Australian youth
and by the Australian profession that thoy must
rise to the occasion. Tho lecturing staff would
promote in every way tho interests of tho stu
dents. The clinical instructors in other parts of
tho world were not so able as tho clinical instruc
tors of tho Australian collogo were intended to
bo. Dentistry was of very romoto origin, us
evidenced by the beautiful teeth set in gold-
found in Egyptian mummies, but it was not till
1839 that an special effort was made to creato
nn independent profession. Thoy needed to
educ&to the pooplo to distinguish between good
dentists and those parasites who wero sapping
the life of all good dentists in this colony.
(Applause.)
Messrs. P. M'Intyre (treasurer) and A G,
Olarke (vico-president) also made a few remarks,
and the secretary, Mr. E. Joske, announced
that Dr. Morrill was appointed dean of tho hos
pital, that it was intended to try and get the
hospital incorporated under the Charities Act,
so as to participate in the Government grant,
and that tho hospital at present treated patients
at the rato of 3000 a year.
After tho formal part of the proceedings had
boon accomplished, tho ovening was devoted to
Bongs and recitations and also instrumental
music.
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