The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-02-14
A DisIOcated Jaw.

One day, in speaking of the mode of
reducing dislocation of the jaw, Aber-
nethy observed: "Be it known to you,
people who have once dislocated the
jaw, are very often likely to do it again.
There was a major in the army, who
had the misfortune of frequently dislo-
eating his jaw, and it was an infrmity
he cared very little about, for he was
generally moving about with his regi-
ment, and when he put it out, the regi-
mental surgeon put it in again. But it
happened that on one occasion he was
fourteen or fifteen miles from where
the regiment was quartered, dining with
a gentleman, and being rather merry
after dinner, laughing heartily, his jaw
slipped out; his mouth, of course, re-
mained wide open, and it was impossi-
BILE to close it while the condyles re-
NAMED out of their sockets. Not be-
ing able to close his mouth, articulation
was impossible. Well, but he made an
inarticulate noise, and the host being
surprised, considered that there was
something wrong with him, and sent
for medical man, residing in the
neighborhood, whom if you please, we
will call for the present, the village
apothecary.
'The apothecary made his appear
ance, as grave as any Methodist parson,
and after examining the poor major,
pronounced in an oracular tone, that
there was something the matter with
him, and that, in fact, his jaw was dis
located; and, accordingly, he began
to pull the jaw, for the purpose of put
ting it in its proper place.
"The officer, knowing the simplicity
of the operation, and how it ought to
be done, was so enraged that a man
should be so presumptuous as TO put a
pestle and mortar over his door, and
yet not know how to reduce simple
dislocation of the jaw, that he vented
his rage in a most furious, but in very
inarticulate manner.
"The learned apothecary took it into
his head that the major was mad: and,
in faith, it was very nearly being veri-
fed, for Mr.. Pestle's suggestion put the
major into terrible rage, which actu-
ally confirmed the apothecary in his
opinion. He therefore threw MIN
down, put straight waistcoat on him,
and left him lying on his back, and
then sent him some cooling draughts,
and some lotion for the jaw, which was
- ~ ,-~I;aJ L,,a eaacOr
"The major then found that there
was nothing for him but submission.
After some time had elapsed, he made
signs for pen, ink, and paper; and as
these were instruments which it was
supposed he could not much injure him
self with, they were furnished to.him ;
and when he got them, he wrote on the
paper just these words: "For Gods
sake, send, with all possible speed, to
Mr.. So-and-so, surgeon to the regi-
ment."
"Well, that was considered very
reasonable request, and therefore they
sent off a man on horseback, immedi-
ately, for the surgeon. The surgeon
came, took off the blister which the
sapient apothecary had applied, threw
the lotion out of the window, undid
the straight-waistcoat in which the
major was incarcerated, warmed his
hands, introduced his two thumbs to
the back of each side of the lower jaw,
pressed down the condyles, and at the
same time elevating the angle of the in
ferior maxillary bone, the jaw slipped
into its socket. So much for the major,
the apothecary, and the regimental sur
geon."