Open Wide – for the Dentists of Citrus County
By: Ken Marotte, Citrus County Historical Society
Today’s dentists are part of a well-respected and disciplined medical occupation. Citrus County has attracted a number of dentists during our pioneer days who have tended to the needs of the citizens, advanced the dental discipline and left some colorful stories in their wake.
Early Dentists
Toothache pain medicines and dental surgeons have been around before the American Revolution. John Baker of Philadelphia advertised his services for operations and false teeth in 1772. Surgeon-Dentist Dr. McGinnis claimed that his special tincture could cure the most violent toothache in a matter of minutes for a small price. Most dentists of that period would perform operations with only home-brewed anesthesia in an ordinary chair which led people to dread their encounters with the dentist. Options to extraction were limited and mostly geared toward reduction of pain. By 1880, it was estimated that there were 12,000 dentists in America and they had extracted 20,000,000 teeth annually.
Early Dental Solutions
There were some interesting solutions and “cures” for dental problems. While extraction was a leading approach, some dentists reported that they had success with filling cavity with caoutchouc, which is another name for native rubber. One of the drawbacks to this procedures is this substance contains latex, and anyone allergic to latex may experience a severe reaction.
The market was flooded with patent medicine that claimed to relieve the pain from toothache (and any number of other maladies). “Perry Davis Vegetable Pain Killer” was a typical medicine of the time. It was considered a “wonder drug” at the time. It was very effective because its main ingredients were opiates and ethyl alcohol.
Other dentists utilized a variety of other methods to deal with toothache pain. Bicarbonate of soda was a standby, as was chloroform and carbolic acid. Laudanum was a commonly used tincture of opium containing approximately 10% powdered opium dissolved in ethanol alcohol. Up until the 1950’s, patients could obtain paregoric (a 4% opium tincture ) as an “exempt narcotic”, sold without prescription even though it contains morphine.
A researcher proposed using electricity as a remedy for a toothache: “With a small piece of zinc and a bit of silver, the zinc placed on one side of the afflicted gum and the silver on the other, by bringing the edges together the small current of electricity generated immediately and painlessly stops the toothache”.
Eventually, the science of dentistry was developed after careful research into the causes of dental disease and the solutions that addressed both the symptoms and root cause of dental problems.
Pioneer Dentists of Citrus County
Some dentists resided in a larger town with an established location while others were “traveling dentists” who would rent space in a local hotel. They would advertise in advance that they would be in town on particular dates. They had some equipment that they would carry with them to their remote engagement. More serious cases that required use of x-rays would require the patient to travel to the dentist’s “home base”. Counties had licensing fees that distinguished between the two types of dentists and charged the established dentists accordingly.
One of the first dentists in our area was Henry “Perry” King. He had been a veteran of the Florida Seminole War in 1837 as well as the American Civil War. He settled in Crystal River in 1866 but passed away in the 1870’s. Family legends hold that he was buried in a vault on the banks of the Crystal River which was subsequently damaged during one of the area’s frequent storms.
Dr. Thomas S. Henley was one of the longest-serving resident dentists in Citrus County. According to his obituary, he arrived in Tompkinsville (later Inverness) on a covered wagon in 1878. He received his degree from Atlanta Southern Dental College and quickly became an integral part of the local community. He improved his office with the latest dental equipment in 1908. Henley purchased a grocery store the following year and served as the Chairman of the Citrus County Schools Board of Trustees. In that role, he helped to review and select teachers for the Elementary and Intermediate schools.
Henley was active in the state Dental Association and attended their annual convention to maintain his skills. He managed to entice one of Atlanta’s prominent experts in gold tooth and bridge construction to join him for a six-week engagement in Inverness.
As his dental career was coming to a close, Henley threw his hat in the ring and ran for County School Board in 1930. After a vigorous campaign, he eventually lost to Hernando businessman G.W. Bellah. Henley decided to retire from his dental practice the following year. He enjoyed retirement until he passed away in 1947.
G.C. Mizelle was a traveling dentist who had a home base in Dunnellon and Ocala. He would occasionally travel to Crystal River and transport his x-ray machine to his temporary headquarters at the Willis Hotel. Mizelle would publish advertisements in the Crystal River News for weeks prior to his arrival. Mizelle could have probably benefited from a marketing professional based on his ads in that paper. He eventually moved his practice to Havana, Cuba in 1914.
Dr. George N. Davis was undoubtedly one of the most colorful dentists in Citrus County. He served the people of Crystal River. When the 1904 World’s Fair was planned for St. Louis, Davis spent his personal funds to establish a Florida exhibit. He issued a call for citizens in Citrus, Marion and Hernando counties to loan articles highlighting the agricultural, manufacturing or mineral assets of the area. He established the Gulf Exhibit, Wreckage and Salvage Company as an adjunct to the exhibit effort. After the fair was over, the company chartered a 350-ton steamer to travel between New Orleans and Crystal River for the commercial benefit of the community.
He leased and renovated the Hotel Elwin and established his expanded dental facility there. In addition, he rededicated the Elwin as a hunting a fishing lodge. Davis attention shifted from Crystal River/Dunnellon to Ocala in 1911. He established a new satellite office in Apopka the following year.
Apparently, Davis had worn out his welcome in Dunnellon by 1912. A newspaper editorial claimed that “…G.N. Davis, who claims to be a dentist, but whose horrible work has caused many of the people of this section night after night of suffering. What the people of Dunnellon consider one of the greatest blessing ever bestowed on our town was when G.N. Davis left it.”
Trouble followed G.N. Davis in 1917 when he was arrested and held in the Polk County jail on four charges of forgery. He had allegedly written a number of worthless checks in the area. During his incarceration, he allegedly went on a rampage in the jail and threw cuspidors at the jail guards. He raved and pulled out his hair. He was eventually brought to the asylum which effectively ended his dental career.
A.C. McMichael was the first dentist in Hernando in 1908. He moved his family from Ocala to that town and also opened a drug store in the community. He had relocated his main office to Floral City by 1913 while he maintained the family’s home in Hernando. His wife and daughter would regularly visit McMichael at his Floral City residence. His clientele had migrated to Trilby in Northern Pasco County, so McMichael moved his practice to that town in 1915. His wife established residence in St. Peterburg but the family would reunite when McMichael was on vacation. He eventually moved to Tarpon Springs where the family could finally reside under the same roof.
Dental Profession Today
Citrus County boasts an impressive roster of dental professionals today. As is the case with most medical disciplines, dental techniques and equipment have advanced significantly in the last hundred years. We owe a debt to the pioneers who brought the dental profession to our area and improved the oral health of our citizens.