As this is a Special, and not an Ordinary General Meeting, and as the
Council have only met once, there is not much upon which they can
report. In accordance with the resolution adopted at the last meeting,
circulars inviting practitioners in the Midland District to join the
Association, were issued to every name on the Register. Up to the first
of August, the Secretary had enrolled 33 members and 6 associates, and
since that date there have been six applications for membership, five of
which the Council have this day admitted, viz., Messrs. R. Rogers,
Cheltenham; T. C. Parson, Clifton, Bristol; T. Wormald, Oldham; B. L.
Harding, Manchester; W. H. Ridge, Stafford. The election of members will
be by ballot, at the Council meeting following the date of application,
and the vote of two-thirds of those present, will be necessary to ensure
election.
A book has been provided for the entry of names of members attending the
meetings, and your Council have further arranged for the admission of
visitors, each member having the privilege to admit two visitors, whose
names and addresses should be entered in a column provided for the
purpose.
The Council have nominated Mr Major Stewart of Liverpool, as first
Vice-President of the branch, and they recommend that the Annual Meeting
in April next be held in Liverpool.
An analysis of the Dentists Register shews that 1,400 names have been
enrolled, of gentlemen engaged in the practice of Dentistry, in the
Midland Counties.
Of these, about half are registered as practising in conjunction with
pharmacy, and of these last, a considerable number—are names not to be
found in the Chemists’ and Druggists’ Directory. Some difficulty is
encountered in attempts to verify cases of incorrect registration on
account of changes of residences, alterations or errors in spelling,
&c., this pertains to both the Dentists’ and Chemists’ Directory, so
that it is not easy to identify positively in all instances. If
gentlemen, who may be aware of the facts in any locality, would be at
the pains to collect them, and submit them in a concise form, so as to
furnish clear and trustworthy evidence of fraudulent registration, it
would be of great service. Any one practising Dentistry, but who is not
on the register, or anyone on the register, who can be shown not to have
been in the practice of dentistry at the date of the Act, these are the
two kinds of error it is desirable to expose.
It need scarcely be stated that an increase of members, both of the
Central Association, and its separate branches, is absolutely necessary
to enable the Executive to carry out the provisions of the Act, and
there is little doubt that with moderate effort, we may all succeed in
inducing others to join. The Association is destined to represent the
profession in the future, and it is our business to make its
representative character a living reality, and not a mere empty name.
Mr. J. S. CRAPPER (Hanley), moved the adoption of the report. It was
seconded by Mr. Headridge (Manchester), and carried.
Mr. Major STEWART, of Liverpool, said that as his name had been
mentioned in the report, he begged to thank them for the honour they had
conferred on him by electing him Vice-President of the branch. He
thanked them, on behalf of his brethren in Liverpool, for the honour the
Society had conferred on them.