The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-06-11

"It is not more than twenty years
since, - having had tooth after tooth ex>
tracted, and jaws broken times without
number,-we formed resolution that
no dentist should ever again make
demonstration Of his strength upon our
jaws->sufIer as We might with that most
excruciating physical torment ever in
1icted upon sinful mortali,y-the tooth
ache. Firm and constant in our resolu-
tion, we have endured toothache-not
pdtientty-we are not quite philosopher
enough for that; teeth have ached, de-
cayed and broken of, leaving their mis-
becoming stumps and roots to plague
their owner in return for his mistaken
constancy. But all men have their frail.
ties, and the fame Of Doctor Morton's
successful application Of sulphuric ether
in the practice Of his profession of tooth
drawing, at length made an assault upon
our innexibility, and we began, like
Macbeth, to pail in resolution Disre-
garding all advice to the contrary-ad>
vice founded on the presumption that the
inhalation Of ether would produce some
diabolical consequences--we permitted
DR.. Morton to apply one Of his conical
sponges to our mouth for about three
minutes, and in as many minutes more,
TEN Of the above mentioned snags,
stumps and roots, most of which had
been broken of even with the gums, had
changed their position, which they had
maintained in our jaws through period
of sixty years, for more enlarged aud
slightly one on DR.. Mortoh's table"
So much for the miscricsi Now let
us turn to the mysteries.
The patient having his old snags re-
moved, the Doctor takes an exact im>
preston Of his mouth, in pure wax, con-
tanned in proper poulds. Those go up
stairs, and we-6ound to see Tic wh0le-
will follow.
DR.. Hoyt, an experienced practitioner
(whom DR.. Morton has invited to join
him), will perhaps accompany US, and
explain the different stages of an art.
The Laboratory, into which we now
enter, isa perfect byou. A fiery fur
mace, massive anvis, blow pipes on the
most approved chemical principles,
athes, work-benches, gold rollers, wire
pulling machines. casting beds-in short
all the paraphernalia of dental mechan-
ism is here. Everything is as neat as a
pin, and by means of speaking tubes the
intelligent operatives are in immediate
connection with the apartmen, below.
Taking the wax mould, the operative
fills it with composition, which repro
duces the patients mouth. Pure Cali.
fnrnia gold is then rolled. aud swedged,
and wrought, until it exactly fits the cast
Of the clients mouth. These casts,
with other individual appliances, are de-
posted in series Of cases, duly labell>
ed, in case they may be hereafter needed.
The gold-plates, thus made, are next
attached to curious fac-simile Of the
patients mouth, in working order and
the operative is thus enabled to aflix the
teeth so that when the parts open and
close, the teeth will meet with regularity.
A perfect finishing operation, and the
set is ready.
Springs, wires, and like machinery,
are here entirely dispensed with, and the
sets of teeth inserted by atmospheric
pressure. This (as some of our first
clergymen, editors and others vouch) is
an admirable philosophical contrivance,
aud has stood severe tests. In one ex>
pertinent, which is chronicled in the
Christian Register, "a staple was solder
ed to the plate before it was inserted in
the mouth, and the following weights
were raised upon the patients erecting
the head, after string had connected
them together, without deiaching it from
the Jaw. First. lb.-2d, 2 lbs.-3d, 5
bs.-4th. 7 lbs.-5th, 10 lbs. No
heavier weight was attached, as it was
feared ii might irriia,e the jaw too
much
And now, kind reader, we have shown
you how bit of quarz rock may be
made an ornament and substitute for one
of Natures gifts. We have simply mar.
rated what we have seen, and are ready
to substnntiate every statement above.
DIR. Moron's professional skill, we will
admit, has classei us among his admi>
rers; but nothing beyond a desire To
give our readers an impartial account of
a curious business, has influenced us in
our recital of the mysteries of dental
surgery Wiihou its miseries.