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Editorial

New Secretary and Assistant Editor
Stuart Taylor who served the group as Secretary for the last few years has now retired from the post and he deserves our thanks for his conscientious commitment to our needs despite a period of ill health. He is succeeded by Audrey Noble who brings to the task the experience of many years of involvement in supporting her late husband's work in the field of dental history.

We have also acquired a new assistant editor, Dr Josephine Cummins. Jo left the practice of dentistry to take a first class honours degree in medieval history at Glasgow University, which she followed in 2000 with a PhD on the topic of "Attitudes to age and ageing in medieval society." She has already contributed to the Newsletter (Issue 17), and has given welcome assistance to the editor with the production of this edition.

The Lindsay Society for the History of Dentistry
There is a close relationship between our group and the Lindsay Society for the History of Dentistry, with much overlapping membership. We congratulate one of our founder members, Bob McKechnie, on his election as the new President of the Lindsay Society - to take office for two years commencing in 2007. We also wish Professor Stanley Gelbier well as the new editor of "The Dental Historian." We look forward to continuing the cordial relationship between the two publications in their complementary roles in promoting the study of history in relation to dentistry, in the United Kingdom.

Update

BDA Museum refurbishment and re-opening.
Group member John Craig, current President of the BDA, declared the new museum at 64 Wimpole St open on the 8th November 2005. An attractive display of interesting items is now located adjacent to both the main entrance and the Information Centre. The Head of Museum Services, Rachel Bairsto said, "The opening of the new museum is a landmark for the association. We now have a truly publicly accessible showcase for the profession that highlights the history and benefits of dentistry in a modern and attractive setting". Situated as it is, only a few minutes from Oxford Street, the museum is well worth a visit for visitors to London, and could provide a welcome break from shopping!

The Monthly Review of Dentistry CD
The editor has a complimentary copy of the CD produced by Roger Farbey of the BDA Information Centre as part of a continuing project, and also in commemoration of 125 years of the BDA and the BDJ. The CD contains the entire contents of the 1880 volume, which was the first volume of the journal that later became the BDJ. Members are welcome to borrow the CD and accompanying notes on request to the editor.

HD Campbell lecture
Members were treated to a lecture, intriguingly titled "What does HD stand for?" from Hugh Campbell (see Newsletter issue 16) at the RCPSG on 10th of April 2006. Hugh reminisced in his own inimitable style ranging from his schooldays and army service as a medical orderly in North Africa and Italy, to his time as a "mature" dental student, and his hospital training and later consultant practice at the Victoria Infirmary. (The answer to the question - according to one of his long-suffering 'cons' patients while a student, was "Ham Dentist'! Conservative dentistry's loss was to be oral surgery's gain)

Henry Noble memorial bookcase
The bookcase donated by his wife and family in memory of our founder chairman, is now installed in the James Ireland Memorial Library in the Dental Hospital and School. It was formally accepted at a ceremony in the library on the 12th of May 2006. Research into dental advertising which was completed by the late Christine Hillam and a team of helpers throughout the U.K. and Europe, has now been bound and with some original correspondence between Henry and Christine will be housed in the new bookcase, along with many other items and books of historical interest.

Dental cabinets
It has not been possible to find space to house some of the larger dental cabinets which were stored in the Dental School. However, the specimen cabinet was auctioned by Bonham's and fetched £310 for group funds.

Boultbee portrait
When spending some spare moments in the National Portrait Gallery in London recently, the editor was surprised to come across an equestrian portrait of Robert Bakewell, pioneer livestock breeder, by John Boultbee which he had last seen
reproduced on the family website referred to in our last issue. It was in good company, being hung beside Edward Jenner and with Robert Burns on the opposite wall. A visit to this gallery is a must for anyone interested in history, but so far as I could make out only one dentist, Samuel Cartwright, is depicted there.

The 'Tartan army' visits Malta.
The Lindsay Society held their first overseas meeting in Malta in November 2005. A most enjoyable occasion was hosted by Professor George Camillieri and attended by a record number of West of Scotland members, and also by five BDA Presidents! A report on the meeting will appear shortly in the 'Dental Historian'

Medical Faculty website, student memories project.
Julie Kennedy, project researcher working on the expansion of the Glasgow University Faculty of Medicine website, has been collecting reminiscences and anecdotes from former students to enliven the history section. The deadline for submissions has been extended by six months, so there is still time to volunteer.

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