The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-10-16
A Chinese Dentist.


ahead of us in some of the arts of civili-
zation, but in most of the finer and
higher kinds of art, as surgery, ETC.,
their proficiency is little removed from
half-savage bunglihg. A correspondent
of the Cincinnati Commercial describes
Chinese dentistry, and gives US an idea
of what the Shanghai tooth carpenters
amount to as professionals The native
dentists are the merest charlatans, and
practice as magicians and cure-alls.
They insert artificial teeth of the sea-
horse, which are kept in place by cop
per-w1re wrappings or fastenings to the
adjacent natural teeth, and charge about
three cents per tooth for the operation.
Teeth are extracted by hocus-pocus
process which the dental impostor calls
coughing up." The method of e1-
traction is this The dentist applies
white powder represented to be the salt
extracted from the sweat of the horse.
Dr. Eastlake found this white powder
to be nothing more or less than arsenic,
which causes the gum to slough, when
| the tooth is easily removed by the oper-
ator's fingers. But the Chinese method
| of curing the toothache was what puz-
zled him most, ana longest defed de-
lection. The operations, it should have
been stated, are all performed in tenn
| large umbrella, the idea being that re-
| ligious ceremony is in some way con-
nected with them. Toothache is caused
| by maggot which gets into the tooth
somehow or other while the patient is
asleep, or while he is laughing immod-
erately. It must be removed alive, or
the patient will go mad. He is, there
| fore, placed on a seat and his head
thrown back. The dentist inserts long
pair of forceps, and, after fumbling
around for few seconds, produces be-
tween the nippers little wriggling
/ black maggot, the cause of the whole
trouble. DIR. Eastlake Witnessed this
operation repeatedly, but it was only
after obtaining surreptitious possession
of the forceps that he discovered the
trick. He found that one arm of the
forceps only was of iron the other was
of bamboo, painted to resemble the
other. In the hollow of the bamboo
were found a number of little black
maggots, probably obtained from de-
cayed vegetables or decomposing mat
ter. When necessary to do service, the
operator simply squeezed the bamboo
above, and the maggot was elected from
| the small end of the instrument to the
mouth, and then adroitly taken between
the nippers and held up triumphantly
before the gaze of the astonished and
grateful patient relieved. The opera
tions witnessed were dispatched with
astonishing rapidity, and the patients
hurried away, as that part of the per
formance was essential to the success OF
the operation.
Power of Music.
The New York Tribune announces
the latest proof that music hath charm!
to soothe the savage beast" The proc
came from from Onondaga county, re
gion of salt and Cardiff giants. An in
telligent young farmer endeavored Il
try a three-yoke team of steers. Tht
nigh steer in the middle yoke lay dowl
} and refused to move. After flashing
J kicking and prodding the animal, the in
telligent young farmer bethought hin
of lively SOURCE, "the necessary cat.
Thomas was placed upon the shoulder
of the refractory steer and pulled tail
J wards by the tail. His claws made
deep furrows down the back of the re
luctant steer, but without locomotive
effect. A second trial was made, bu
; with no better results. At the third
Thomas, who had borne the strain upol
, his tail long enough, rendered a strait
? of his own, which curdles the midnigh
! blood and starts the householder TO
| the boot-jack. The music worked to
, charm. The reluctant steer arose a
{ though the caterwauling came fror
t Gabrie1's trump, and tested the strengt
. of yoke and chain.