Dr. Ralph and Mrs. Olga Crawford Canadian Dental Collection
Category
Diagnostic & Treatment Artifacts
Classification
Dental
Accession Number
010020239 a-b
Description
Full bottle of Dentocillin tooth powder; clear oval glass bottle (a) tapers to round opening at top; rectangular brown paper label on front printed with green and brown ink states product information, directions, lot number, expiration date; round brown plastic twist cap (b); bottle is full of whit…
Full bottle of Dentocillin tooth powder; clear oval glass bottle (a) tapers to round opening at top; rectangular brown paper label on front printed with green and brown ink states product information, directions, lot number, expiration date; round brown plastic twist cap (b); bottle is full of white powder.
Number Of Parts
2
Part Names
a - bottle
b - cap
Provenance
Transfer from the Dental Canada Fund; previously housed in the Dentistry Canada Museum (Ottawa).
(a) Printed on label: "DENTOCILLIN // TOOTH POWDER // CONTAINING PENICILLIN // EFFECTIVENESS in reducing tooth decay // confirmed in two-year test conducted by out- // standing dental authorities. // DIRECTIONS: Pour a little into the palm, // "take up" on wet tooth brush. Brush teeth tho- // roughly 2 or 3 times a day. // (Must be used regularly to get full benefits) // LOT NO. 043 // EXPIRATION DATE : MAY, 1953"; embossed on top of bottle: "DENTOCILLIN"; on bottom: "JERGENS // C . 0 1 1 // DENTOCILLIN"; (b) engraved on cap: "DENTOCILLIN"
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-A5-5 Box 2 Row E
Dimension Notes
a - bottle - Size: Length 13.2 cm x Width 7.5 cm x Depth 4.4 cm
b - cap - Size: Depth 1.9 cm x Diam. 2.9 cm
Condition Remarks
Front label is darkened, faded
Copy Type
Original
Reference Types
Internet
Reference Comments
"Medicine: Dentocillin", Time Magazine, Sept. 4, 1950
Research Facts
Dr Ralph and Mrs Olga Crawford donated their extensive Canadian dental collection to the DCF to create the museum in 1997; further donations were received while Dr Crawford was Curator Emeritus at the Dental Canada Museum until its closure in 2008; this item was donated by Dr. Boris Kostiuk from Oshawa, Ontario; Dentocillin was introduced in 1950; penicillin was thought to kill the acid-producing bacteria that was blamed for causing cavities; many dentists were not convinced of its efficacy, claiming that since the penicillin did not cause ill-effects, it was probably due to it being rinsed out of the mouth so quickly, in which case it would not have any effect on tooth decay either