Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-11-14
a French Dentist.

n
His equipagc WAS not an uncommon
one in France for this class OF artists.
He drove into the middle OF the press
in handsome carriage, with servant
behind alternately blowing trumpet
and beating drum, and exclalm,ng'
"Room for the celebrated Doctor!
Th, horse was then dismissed, the car
r;ao, then converted into stage and
shop. and the great man commenced
his harangue. He expatiated on the
grandeur and Importance OF the art OF
tooth drawing-on his own unrlvalied
skill. renowned throug bout all Europe
~-on the infatuation of those unhappy
beings who delayed even for single
instant TO take advantage OF an oppor-
tunity thus offered to them, by provl-
dence. He flourished his iron instru-
ment in the air, comparing it to the
rod of Aaron: he likened the listeners
themselves TO crowd of infdels OF old
gathering about an apostle, and strug-
Cling sinfully, not only against his
word, but in spite of their own teeth.
.sAlas! my friends" said he, "when l
shall have turned my back, you will
repent in dust and ashes; but repen-
lance will be too late. You fancy
YOU have not the toothache! Poor
creatures! my bosom bleeds for you!
In your culpable ignorance you believe
that no one is unwell who is not In an
agony of pain. You imagine that pain
Is the disease, whereas it is only one OF
the symptoms; and yet l see by the
faces of many of you-l may say most
of you-that you have not only the
toothache, but the symptomatic twinge.
This is the case with you and very
many more than you. Tell me, am
not correct? Only think of your
gums! Do you not feel sensation OF
tickling, as it were, at the roots of your
teeth. or as of GOODNESS at the top as II
the air was already penetrating through
the breaches of time or disease? This
is the toothache. This sensation will
increase, till it ends in torture and
despair. Then you will inquire Tor
the doctor, but the doctor will not
hear; then you will intrust the opera
ton to some miserable quack, who
will break your jaws in pieces; or, il
Won endure in silence, the pain will
produce fever-fever madness-and
madness terminates in death. His ell
oouence was irresistible: in ten min
utes everv soul of US had the toothache.
Several sufferers rushed forward at
the same instant to crave relief. One
of them a fine looking young fellow,
Gained the race but not till he had
broken from the arms of peasant girl,
who having either less faith or more
philosophy, implored him to consider
in the first place whether he bad real
iv the toothache. Grimly smiled the
doctor when the head of the patient
was fairly between his knees; and rue
fully did the latter gaze up from the
helpless position into his executioner's
face. We all looked with open
mouths and in dead silence upon the
scene, all except the young girl, who
with ayerted head, awaited, pale, trem-
bling. and in tears, the event. The
doctor examined the unfortunate
mouth, and adjusted his instrument to
the tooth which it was his pleasure to
extract. The crowd set their teeth,
srinning horribly, and awaited the
wrench; but the operator, withdrawing
his hand, recommend the lecture with
greater JUNCTION than ever. A second
time was this urmerciful reprieve
granted, and then third time, and the
Condemned groaned aloud. We could
stand no more; we were already in a
paroxysm of the toochache: feeling
a strange fascination creeping over US,
we took to our heels and fled from the
spot.