‘It’s a gas!’ is a common expression meaning ‘it’s hilarious’ or ‘it’s funny’. The origin of this phrase might be the effect of nitrous oxide (commonly referred to as ‘laughing gas’) on one’s behaviour. Nitrous oxide gas was first used to anaesthetise a dental patient in 1844, transforming dentistry, bringing significant improvements to patients’ wellbeing, and changing the way dentists could work. But people still fear the dentist, and this profession continues to be the brunt of many jokes. This ambivalence is reflected in a rich history of cartoons and prints on the subject. The exhibition It’s a gas traces the history of dentistry through illustrations and cartoons dating from the 17th century to now. Themes illustrated in these include fear, relief, pain and vanity.
Political cartoons: The forerunner of the political or social cartoon was the caricature which derided the individual by exaggerating his or her physical features. In France, when the government banned political caricature in 1835, satirical magazines like Le Charivari turned to publishing satires if everyday life. The image of the patient and dentist progressed from the slapstick humor of the dentist at work to dental practices – especially extraction – as a parody of political process. Political cartoons appeared in Australian newspapers from the 1830s. Melbourne Punch began in 1855, soon followed by editions in other colonies. The Bulletin appeared in the 1880s and took satirical commentary to a new level, exerting extraordinary influence over political debates until after Federation. In political dental; cartoons, the politician under criticism is usually portrayed as the dentist (often smiling or disconcertingly enthusiastic), and the public as the hapless patient.
This cartoon critiques the relationship between Russia and England in 1898. The wise bear (Russia) tries to extract teeth from an anxious leopard (England) but the caption reveals that England’s are completely worn down and ineffectual – there is nothing to extract. At this time, the French were very keen for an Anglo – Russian alliance to balancing the rising power of Germany, but felt England was incompetent in the process. La Silhouette was renowned for its belligerent satire.
This cartoon represents the French government’s efforts to suppress the media in 1877. President Jules Simons is the dentist extracting teeth from different newspaper journalists. When Simons came to power, his government prosecuted two newspapers for publishing anti-government stories.
Puck was the USA’s first successful satirical magazine. It was the first newspaper to use the technique of the full-colour lithograph. Here, Uncle Sam symbolises the USA, while Samuel S Cox was a congressman and diplomat who represented Ohio followed by New York. He was known as a quiet, calm fellow but also an effective politician, hence the sign for the Washington Dental Association stating that ‘S.S Cox’s Laughing Gas: Mild and Harmless’. Uncle Sam’s large fang is Mormonism, the senate and House of Representatives are adopting heroic measures (the frightening forceps) to remove it. Mormons were seeking statehood for Utah at this time, but Congress opposed this, passing various anti-Mormon laws.
Malcolm Fraser was the Prime Minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983. Here he is portrayed as a dentist looking at a shelf of jars of extracted teeth. Fraser is looking back in time, as the jars represent important issues from his time as Prime Minister, including the privatisation of the Medibank universal health insurance scheme, budget cuts to the ABC, conflict with Joh Bjelke-Petersen over Aboriginal autonomy at Aurukun, and discussions with Sir Frank Laker on the introduction of budget airlines.
La Depeche is a regional daily newspaper published in Toulouse with a reputation for a left wing social commentary. This cover mocks the elitism and cost of visiting the dentists at the same time. A dentist has accidently driven over a man, now gaping in pain, but the dentist interprets this as a request for a consultation, telling his victim he does not do consultations in the street.
Master of Environment 