A knowledge of the fundamentals of human physiologj' is
essential in the training of the dental student, because physiology
constitutes, along with anatomy,' the basic science upon which
all medical and surgical knowledge is founded ; and dentistry is
a highly specialized department of surgical practice.
To operate on the teeth without knowing something about the physi-
ology of the body as a whole, would reduce the dentist to the
level of a craftsman who, although perhaps very highly skilled
in his technical work, was yet quite ignorant of the nature of
the machine upon a part of which his work had to be done.