Sanford Christie Barnum was born at Oakland Valley, N. Y., August 24, 1838. He studied dentistry under his uncle and located at Monticello, N. Y., in 1862, returning to New York and graduating from the New York College of Dentistry in 1868. As early as 1862 he conceived the idea and made practical use of the rubber dam in dental operations. He donated it as a gift to the dental profession in 1864, foregoing his opportunity to make a fortune, and won world renown for his act. He was voted many medals and tokens of honor for his generosity. He died of chronic meningitis December 24, 1885, at the age of forty-seven years.
It is scarcely possible to estimate the advantage of his one great contribution to dentistry, without which many delicate operations would be seriously handicapped, if not impossible.
He died of chronic meningitis.