New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-09-26


The following is related by Job Phoenix, Of the
California Pioneer. The reader will see that it re-
cords the verdict Of "Coroners Inquest and other
particulars Of interest:
DR.. Tushmaker was never regularly bred as physi.
clan or surgeon, but be possessed naturally strong
mechanical genius and fine appetite, and finding his
teeth Of great service In gratifying that propensity
and create more real happiness therein by putting the
teeth Of the inhabitants in good order than 10 any
other way, so he became dentist.
| He was the man that first invented the method Of
placing small cog wheels in the back teeth for the
more perfect modification Of food, and he claimed to
be the original dscoverer Of that method OF filing
cavities with kind Of putty-which becoming hard
directly the tooth to ache SO greyousy that
it has 10 be pulled, thereby giving the dentist two
successive fees for the same job.
Tushmaker was one day seated in his office in the
city Of Boston, Mass when stout old fellow named
Byies presented himself to have back tooth drawn.
ture, and opening his mouth, discovered there an
enormous tooth on the right-hand side, about as
large, as he afterwards expressed it. as small
Polyglot Bible" l shall have trouble with this
heaviest forceps aud pulled. 1t didn't come. Then
he tried the urnscrew exertiDg his utmost strength
but the tooth wouldn't stir.
eco away from here" said Tushmaker to Byles,
out for you, or will know the reason why"
Byes got up, clapped handkerchief to his jaw,
and put lorth.
The dentist went to work, and in three days he
invented an instrument which he was confident
could pull anything. It was combination of the
over, pulley, wheel and axle, incline plane, wedge
and screw. The castings were made, and the machine
put up in the Office over an iron chair rendered per-
fectly stationary by iron rods going down into the
foundations OF the granite building.
In week old Byles returned he was clamped into
the iron chair, the forecups connected with the
machine attached firmly to the tooth, and Tushmaker
sationing himself in the rear, took hold of lever
four feet long.
He turned it slightly-old Byles gave groan, and
lifted his right leg. Another turn, another groan,
and higher went old Byles' right leg again.
What do you raise your leg for?" asked the
doctor.
81 can't help it." said the patient. Nh
Well" said Tushmaker, the tooth is bound to
come now
He turned the lever clear round, with sudden
jerk, and snapped Old Byles' head clean and clear
from his shoulders, leaving q space of four inches
between the several parts
They had a post-mortem examination--the roots of
the tooth were found extending down the right side.
through the right leg, and turned up in two prongs
directly under the sole of the right foot.
mo WONDER" said Tushmaker, :" that he raised
bis leg
The jury thought so too, but they found the roots
much decayed, and five surgeons swearing that mort
fcation would have ensued in few months Tush-
maker was cleared on a verdict of "justiable hom-
eide"
After this the machine was sold to the contractor
OF the Boston House. and it was found that
child three years of age could by single turn of the
screw, raise stone weighing twenty-five tuns.
Smaller ones were made on the same principle, and
sold to the keepers of hotels and restaurants. They
were advantageonsly used for bonng turkeys.
There is no moral at all to this story and it is pos
sibe that the circumstances may have become slight
ualy exaggerated There can be no doubt of the
main incidents.