Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

DENTAL SCALERS

Date

1908

Materials

WOOD, LEATHER, STEEL

No. Pieces

144

Height

7

Length

56

Width

22.5

Description

.1 - BLACK, LEATHER-COVERED WOOD CASE WITH THREE INTERIOR HINGED TRAY COMPARTMENTS, FITTED TO HOLD AN ASSORTMENT OF 143 STEEL DENTAL SCALERS (.2 - .144). WHITE TAPE WITH HANDWRITTEN NUMBERING “1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8” ALONG BOTTOM OF EACH TRAY. CASE LID HAS GOLD STAMP READING “DR. AUSTIN F. JAMES. PAT. FEBRUARY 18 1908.” TWO METAL HOOK LATCHES ON OUTSIDE OF CASE. LEATHER COVERING IS CRACKED AND PEELING OVERALL, WITH SOME AREAS OF LOSS ON LID AND BACK BOTTOM EDGE. ALL FOLLOWING STEEL TOOLS FROM .2 - .144 MEASURE IN THE RANGE OF 1 H X 16.5 L X 1.75 W AND ARE STAMPED WITH THE LISTED IDENTIFYING TEXT: .2 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 5” .3 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 1” .4 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 7” .5 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 4” .6 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 3” .7 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 8” .8 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 2” .9 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 11” .10 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 10” .11 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 14” .12 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 13” .13 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 42” .14 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 16” .15 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 18” .16 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 20” .17 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 23” .18 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 26” .19 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 34” .20 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 30” .21 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 29” .22 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 32” .23 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 33” .24 - DENTAL SCALER, “L.J.MASON&CO. 28” .25 - DENTAL SCALER, “L.J.MASON&CO. 27” .26 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 25” .27 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 24” .28 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 35” .29 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 40” .30 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 39” .31 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 22” .32 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 19” .33 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 47” .34 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 17” .35 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 15” .36 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 43” .37 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 9” .38 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 12” .39 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 50” .40 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT. MAY 415. 16” .41 - DENTAL SCALER, “V CAULK V” .42 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 44” .43 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 41” .44 - DENTAL SCALER, “THE R&R CO. TOLEDO. MADE IN USA” .45 - DENTAL SCALER, “O. SUTER DENT. MFG. CO. UW-H 3” .46 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 51” .47 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 52” .48 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 53” .49 - DENTAL SCALER, “L.J.MASON&CO. 55” .50 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415.55” .51 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 54” .52 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 57” .53 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 58” .54 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 59” .55 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 60” .56 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 61” .57 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 62” .58 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 63” .59 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 64” .60 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 65” .61 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 66” .62 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 67” .63 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 68” .64 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 69” .65 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 70” .66 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 71” .67 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 72” .68 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 74” .69 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 75” .70 - DENTAL SCALER, “L.J.MASON&CO. 76” .71 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 77” .72 - DENTAL SCALER, “L.J.MASON&CO. 77” .73 - DENTAL SCALER, “CMC 79 CMC DEC. 1918” .74 - DENTAL SCALER, “DEC. CMC 80 CMC 1919” .75 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 81” .76 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 118” .77 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 83” .78 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 84” .79 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 85” .80 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 86” .81 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 87” .82 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 88” .83 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 89” .84 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 90” .85 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 91” .86 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 92” .87 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 93” .88 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 94” .89 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 95” .90 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 96” .91 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 97” .92 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 98” .93 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 99” .94 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 139” .95 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 101” .96 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 102” .97 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 105” .98 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 104” .99 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 109” .100 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 107” .101 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 108” .102 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 111” .103 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 112” .104 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 113” .105 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 114” .106 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 115” .107 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 116” .108 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 121” .109 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 117” .110 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 120” .111 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 123” .112 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 119” .113 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 110” .114 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 127” .115 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 103” .116 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 137” .117 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 141” .118 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 142” .119 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 106” .120 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 124” .121 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 125” .122 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 132” .123 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 128” .124 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 140” .125 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 73” .126 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 126” .127 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 134” .128 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 130” .129 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 135” .130 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 138” .131 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 131” .132 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 143” .133 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 82” .134 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 133” .135 - DENTAL SCALER, “DENICO 122” .136 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 144” .137 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 150” .138 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 136” .139 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 129” .140 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 145” .141 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 146” .142 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 147” .143 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 148” .144 - DENTAL SCALER, “PAT.MAY 415. 149”

Subjects

MEDICAL & DENTAL T&E

Historical Association

HEALTH SERVICES

History

THIS CASE WAS PART OF THE EQUIPMENT DR. VAN CHRISTOU PURCHASED FROM DR. J.S. STEWART IN THE 1950S. MANY OF STEWART’S DENTAL TOOLS WERE USED BY CHRISTOU THROUGHOUT HIS 37 YEAR PRACTICE. AN ADVERTISEMENT FROM THE JANUARY 21, 1920 ISSUE OF THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD DESCRIBES DR. J.S. STEWART AS “SPECIALIZING IN PYORRHEA”. PYORRHEA, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS PERIODONTITIS, IS A SET OF INFLAMMATORY DISEASES AFFECTING TEETH AND GUMS. IT IS CAUSED BY BACTERIA ADHERING TO THE TOOTH SURFACE AND CAN EVENTUALLY CAUSE TOOTH LOSS. THE SCALERS IN THIS DENTAL CASE ARE USED FOR PERIODONTAL DEBRIDEMENT – CLEANING AND SCRAPING AWAY PLAQUE AND BACTERIA IN ORDER TO PREVENT PYORRHEA. THE ADVERTISEMENT’S STATEMENT OF DR. STEWART’S SPECIALIZATION IN TREATING THESE DISEASES INDICATES A SPECIAL NEED FOR THE TOOLS FOUND IN THIS CASE. THE FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHY OF THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THESE TOOLS, JOHN SMITH STEWART, WAS DEVELOPED WITH INFORMATION FROM THE GALT ARCHIVES, THE GALT MUSEUM BROCHURE ‘ALL FIRED UP!’, PROVINCIAL ARCHIVES OF ALBERTA, AND AN EXCERPT FROM JOHN BLUE’S BOOK ‘ALBERTA, PAST AND PRESENT, HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL’ (VOLUME 2, 1924). STEWART WAS BORN IN BRAMPTON, ONTARIO IN 1877, AND ATTENDED NORMAL SCHOOL IN EDMONTON IN 1896 BEFORE RETURNING TO ONTARIO IN 1899 TO STUDY AT THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF DENTAL SURGEONS. IN 1900 STEWART BECAME A PRIVATE IN THE LORD STRATHCONA HORSE REGIMENT AND SERVED IN THE BOER WAR. HE MOVED TO LETHBRIDGE IN 1902 AND FOUNDED THE FIRM MCCLURE & STEWART WITH HIS FUTURE BROTHER-IN-LAW. IN 1907 STEWART MARRIED JEAN CHESNEY MCCLURE, AND THAT SAME YEAR HE ATTENDED ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE IN KINGSTON, ACHIEVING THE RANK OF MAJOR IN THE 25TH BATTERY, CANADIAN FIELD ARTILLERY. IN 1911 STEWART WAS ELECTED AS A CONSERVATIVE MEMBER OF THE ALBERTA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, REPRESENTING LETHBRIDGE, A POSITION HE HELD UNTIL 1925. WITH THE OUTBREAK OF WORLD WAR I, STEWART WAS AUTHORIZED TO RAISE THE 20TH BATTERY, CFA IN LETHBRIDGE, AND IN 1915 WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL AND WENT OVERSEAS TO FRANCE. THERE HE COMMANDED THE 7TH AND 4TH BRIGADES, CFA. IN 1917 STEWART BECAME THE BRIGADIER GENERAL IN COMMAND OF THE 3RD CANADIAN DIVISION, A POSITION THAT HE HELD UNTIL 1919. HE WAS TWICE MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES AND WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER, CROIX DE GUERRE, AND COMPANION OF THE ORDER OF ST. MICHAEL AND ST. GEORGE, AND WAS MADE AN HONOURARY LIFE MEMBER OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN ARTILLERY ASSOCIATION. UPON RETURNING HOME FROM WAR STEWART CONTINUED TO PRACTICE DENTISTRY IN LETHBRIDGE, AND IN 1930 HE WAS ELECTED THE CONSERVATIVE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR THE LETHBRIDGE RIDING, A POSITION HE HELD UNTIL 1935. STEWART PRACTICED DENTISTRY FOR OVER 50 YEARS IN LETHBRIDGE, AND RECEIVED AN HONOURARY DOCTORATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA AND HONOURARY LIFE MEMBERSHIPS IN THE ROYAL CANADIAN DENTAL CORPS ASSOCIATION, CALGARY DENTAL SOCIETY, EDMONTON AND DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY, AND LETHBRIDGE AND DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY. BRIGADIER GENERAL DR. J.S. STEWART DIED IN 1970 AT THE AGE OF 93. HE WAS SURVIVED BY HIS SECOND WIFE, ELLA WHITSON STEWART, WHO DIED IN 1981. SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR HARDCOPIES OF SOURCE MATERIAL ON DR. J.S. STEWART AND PATENT INFORMATION RELATING TO THE TOOLS IN THIS CASE. THE DONOR, DR. VAN CHRISTOU, WAS BORN AND RAISED IN LETHBRIDGE. HE ATTENDED BOWMAN SCHOOL AND THE LETHBRIDGE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE. IN 1943 HE BEGAN STUDYING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA, AND IN 1948 RECEIVED THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY. AS A WINNER OF THE PRESTIGIOUS EASTMAN FELLOWSHIP HE COMPLETED 2 YEARS OF GRADUATE STUDY IN NEW YORK IN ORTHODONTICS AND PEDODONTICS. IN 1950 HE RETURNED TO LETHBRIDGE TO PRACTICE WITH DR. J.S. STEWART - ONE OF LETHBRIDGE'S FIRST DENTISTS - WHO BECAME HIS MENTOR. THEIR PRACTICE WAS LOCATED IN THE ORIGINAL BIGELOW FOWLER CLINIC BUILDING ON 7TH STREET SOUTH, WHICH WOULD LATER BE PURCHASED BY CHRISTOU AND MAYOR ANDY ANDERSON AND NAMED THE A-C BUILDING - PRESENTLY IT IS THE GLYN STREET PROFESSIONAL BUILDING. WHEN STEWART RETIRED IN THE 1950S, CHRISTOU BOUGHT HIS EQUIPMENT AND "GOOD WILL" FOR $9,000. CHRISTOU USED STEWART'S EQUIPMENT HIS ENTIRE CAREER. DR. CHRISTOU WAS THE ONLY ORTHODONTIST IN LETHBRIDGE FOR 25 OF HIS 37 YEARS OF PRACTICE. PATIENTS CAME TO HIM FROM SOUTHEAST BRITISH COLUMBIA, SASKATCHEWAN AND NORTHERN MONTANA. HE WAS BOOKED AT LEAST A YEAR AND A HALF AHEAD AT ALL TIMES. DR. CHRISTOU'S PHILOSOPHY WAS TO KEEP THINGS SIMPLE. HE DIDN'T BELIEVE IN HIGH OFFICE OVERHEAD, BOTH IN TERMS OF EQUIPMENT AND STAFFING. HE HAD A RECEPTIONIST AND A DENTAL NURSE, WHO HE TRAINED HIMSELF. HE PRIDED HIMSELF ON PERSONALIZED TREATMENT AND HIS EXCELLENT TRAINING HAD EXPOSED HIM TO STATE-OF-THE-ART DENTAL EQUIPMENT AND TECHNIQUES. EARLY ON, HE PURCHASED A CUTTING-EDGE CEPHALOMETER X-RAY MACHINE, THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND IN WESTERN CANADA FOR MANY YEARS. DR. CHRISTOU ALSO CUSTOM MADE EQUIPMENT THAT WAS NOT ON THE MARKET, SUCH AS A MOTOR-DRIVEN WATER SUPPLY AND SUCTION UNIT, SUPERIOR TO THOSE DRIVEN BY THE VENTURI-EFFECT. CHRISTOU WAS ALSO AN ACCOMPLISHED ARTIST AND PHOTOGRAPHER, AND THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER ATTEMPTED TO CREATE LINKS BETWEEN ART AND DENTISTRY. FOR EXAMPLE, HE CREATED A STAINED GLASS U OF L CREST (WHICH HE DONATED TO THE UNIVERSITY) WHICH UTILIZED ORTHODONTIC WIRE. ALONG WITH JIM COUSINS HE DESIGNED THE U OF L CREST AND MOTTO "FIAT LUX". HE SERVED ON THE FIRST BOARD OF GOVERNORS AT THE U OF L AND LATER AS CHANCELLOR (1975), AND RECEIVED AN HONORARY DOCTOR OF LAWS DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY. HIS MANY CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS ALSO INCLUDE: CHAIRMAN OF THE 1958 YMCA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE; PRESIDENT OF THE LETHBRIDGE & DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY FOR 1952-53; PRESIDENT OF THE ST. JOHN'S AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION; PRESIDENT OF THE ALLIED ARTS COUNCIL OF LETHBRIDGE; CHAIRMAN OF THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND EDUCATION COMMITTEES OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE; CHAIRMAN OF THE LETHBRIDGE JUNIOR COLLEGE LIBRARY FUND; AND CANDIDATE FOR CITY COUNCIL IN 1983. SEE PERMANENT FILE P20010080005 FOR ADDITIONAL HISTORY ABOUT DR. VAN CHRISTOU.

Catalogue Number

P20120043000

Acquisition Date

2012-03

Collection

Museum

Less detail