Ohio College of Dental Surgery - Alethian Yearbook (Cincinnati, OH)

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niture was the appropriation of the teeth of the dead- who no longer needed them--for the benefit of the living. U Doubtless it was a particularly refined sense that prompted ' Dr.' Revere to keep a standing advertisement in a Boston newspaper to the effect that he was always ready to pay liberally in cash for 'live teeth,' that is, good sound grinders that the owners were willing to part with, for a financial consideration, for the benefit of those less favored by nature, though comfortably blessed with money. The earliest known dentist in Boston was an itinerant one, who came from Londo11 in 1767 and sojourned for a few months at the Cromwell's Head Tavern, on School Street, advertising in the local papers and no doubt doing well for a while, since three year5 later we End Revere advertising that he 'liatters him- self that having had two years' experience he can fix teeth as well as any surgeon dentist who ever came from London,' and guaranteeing to so 'fix' them that the wearers will not only ' find them ornamental, but of real use in speaking and eating.' His parting declaration to his readers is that 'he waits on people at their lodgings and cleanses their teeth,' and that he may be 'spoke with' at his silver- smith shop at the 11orth end of the town. Colored persons, who then as now, were noted for the ine quality of their teeth, are said to have generously furnished Revere with his stock in this branch of trade, since a healthy servant, with whom personal beauty was a matter of minor consideration, always found the offer of a dollar apiece for a few of his or her superiiuous teeth a temptation difficult to resist. Thus it happened that merchant princes or grand colonial dames might enhance their physical attractions by means of teeth with which nature had originally fitted their negro chore boy or perhaps the family washer woman. The 'key' with which dentists in Revere's day were accustomed to draw their 'live teeth' was a for- midable looking instrument, with a handle like a Very large corkscrew, and having at the business end a movable hook working on the exact principle of the cant dog with which loggers move heavy timber. Dentists' chairs were then unknown luxuries. Dr. Samuel A. Greene, the noted antiquarian, has observed the ancient method of drawing teeth, which consisted of seating the victim on the floor, in front of the operator, who took as Hrm a grip as possible with his knees upon the body of the sufferer, firmly conhned the head after the most scientific manner with one arm, then placed the sharp point of the key against the gum, beneath the root of the tooth desired and gave a vigorous turn to the handle, which, in most cases, if persisted in long enough, gradually turned the tooth completely upside down, as a plow might overturn a small tree stump. Although Revere's advertisement did not say so, it is extremely probable that he was not a stranger to a custome that still exists in Europe, of selling to the needy of economical tastes, second-hand false teeth, the proceeds of which were devoted to settling up the estates of the deceased owners. 'l

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- 'i 'C ' ' ' 1'. all CVCTC, CIIUSI. o fghzqpw A-'ff F F WE MAY believe Mr. best years of his life to the service of his country. He Alex. Corbett, Jr., Paul painted portraits of his friends, a few of which he also :nga N HIIL... Revere was not onlya hero, had the nerve to publish: but he never wrote a book , V., ig' but a very many-sided man. nor made a speech. At least nine of his vocations and I As master mason he laid avocations were new to this country, but it seems he ', 1 the corner stone of the Bull- made at least a fair success of every one of them, ex- l V' l finch front of the State celling in some. He also amassed what was regarded a I House at Boston 3 he also fortune in that day, copper-covered its dome and Of his achievements in our special field Mr. Corbett i thus made possible the glory says 2 shed by day and night. that Dutch metal has since As gold and silversmith he fashioned things ornamental and useful for the person and the table, he braized everything in the kitchen's outfit, engraved on copper, cut seals, carved wood. made picture frames, displayed skill as a draughtsman, did something as a caricaturist, produced rhymes, pub- lished a hynm book with the cuts and music from his own plates, dealt in hardware, manufactured stoves, cast cannon and church bells, painted show cards, printed his share of the money of his day, played the chimes of Christ Church of a Sunday, manufactured gunpowder, served as courier for the Government, did duty as a soldier in the War of Independence, and sailed as a privateersman, probably sharing to the limit-as was his right-in the plnnder. He gave in all Hfteen of the l l l I 95 Very likely we might well devoutly pray to-day to be relieved from having to wear false teeth fashioned by Paul Revere, for they were crude affairs, fastened to- gether with wire, and We know that in the case of XVash- ington a set of the prevailing fashion caused him much disquiet and permanently and unfavorably altered his physiognomy, yet Revere's dental work was not with- out its utility, since it was by means of false teeth of his make that the body of Gen. joseph XVarren was identified on Bunker Hill the morning after the battle. Dr. Samuel A Greene has shown that Revere does not appear to have furnished full sets of teeth, but only to have supplied odd teeth here and there, according to a sort of primitive bridgework method. In Revere's day a convenient method of obtaining supplies for the manufacture of artificial dental fur-

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El E. E. S. Epitaph. -as -ev -ev A worthy dentist rests beneath This high-heaped grassy mound 3 True man was he, although his teeth Full often false were found. All obstacles he did despise, And oftener would he brag, He rather liked, than otherwise, To run against a snag. Much suffering did he assuage, His patients lost each pang, Though erst the throbbing tooth might rage, As they his door bell rang. His speech was frequent and most free, Right seldom would he pause, Although a masterhand was he At holding others' jaws. He owned no family or clan, But gave all satisfaction, For all agreed he was a man Of excellent extraction. He died without a sob or groan, He lived in decent gravity, And now, beneath this mossy stone, He's filling his last cavity. cb? JBt'6Hkfa5t Jfoob jf8lTlilQ -ev -ef fe John Spratt will eat no fat. Nor will he touch the lean. He scorns to eat of any meaty He lives upon Foodine. But Mrs. Spratt will none of that 3 Foodine she can 11ot eat. Her special wish is for a dish Of Expurgated Wheat. To William Spratt that food is Hat On which his mater dotes. - His favorite feed-his special need- ls Eata Heapa Oats. But Sister Lil can't see how Will Can touch such tasteless food. As breakfast fare it can't compare, She says, with Shredded Wood. Now, none of these, Leander, please 3 He feeds upon Bath Mitts. While Sister jane improves her brain With Cero-Grapo-Grits. Lycurgus votes for Father's Oats 3 Proggine appeals to May g The junior John subsists upon Uneeda Bala Hay. Corrected XVheat for little l'eteg Flaked Pine for Dot Q while Bull, The infant Spratt, is waxing fat On Battle Creek Near-Grub.