Charles Darwin and the Dentists

Charles Darwin suffered relapsing, debilitating illness for most of his adult life with many symptoms. His most prominent complaints were episodic nausea, retching and vomiting. As is common in patients with repeated vomiting he developed dental problems, problems that may be dated back to his voyage on the Beagle and his vomiting due to persistent seasickness. Dental problems continued after the voyage and he was one of the first patients to have extractions under chloroform. Watching a dental procedure caused Darwin great distress, much as surgical and obstetric procedures had previously caused him distress with onset of symptoms. Darwin's dental experiences are consistent with the proposed diagnosis of his lifetime illness- patients with similar illnesses today have much the same dental problems. Dentists also helped Darwin with his researches and collection of specimens. In Darwin's day, dentists, like country clergymen, had time to follow other interests. Dentists contributed to Darwin's dental health, to the dental health of his family and to Darwin's work and biological studies. Dentists, in their own right, were also prominent in developing our biological understanding.