River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-08-06
A Jack-sorew Between His Teeth.

A slender man OF quiet and respec-
table appearance, sitting in Sixth
avenue elevated train, last evening,
drew from his inner coat-pocket mar
row steel rod about six inches in
length. The rod was fiat and the
width of an ordinary lead-pencil. AT
one end there was a small slot in it.
So curious an implement and the pre-
occupied manner of the man attracted
the attention of the other passengers
in the car. A lady opposite. accompa-
MED by little boy, glanced with alarm
toward the conductor, who was intent
ly watching the man, as the latter put
the slotted end of the steel rod in his
mouth. The man shut his teeth to-
gether and his face underwent a series
of contortions as he worked his hand
with a motion as if he were Tightening
up a loose nut on a bolt. The lady be-
came so agitated that she left her seat
and took one nearer the door.
"You needn't be frightened, marin, "
said the conductor, 81 guess that's on
ly the circus man with the iron jaw"
"What in the worlds the matter
II guess he is only tightening up his
jaw, marm," replied the conductor,
consolingly.
The man had now finished the oper-
alton, and he restored the steel rod to
his pocket Then he took out mem
orandum book and made some entries
in it carefully, and, having finished
these entries, he remarked to his neigh
Dor in the adjoining seat, as he closed
the book:
Science does remarkable things in
these days" The neighbor nodded.
Now, l don't suppose you would
have the least idea that | had a jack
screw between two of my teeth"
"A jack-screw?" inquired his neigh
Dor
Yes" returned the man, smiling.
'Im undergoing a dental operation.
One of my teeth had been extracted,
and one of those adjoining it began to
grow over in the vacant space. 1t was
a good tooth, and ] didn't want it
pulled, bat the dentist couldn't get it
back to its place, until one day an idea
struck him and he said he would put a
jack-screw in there. So he made one. 1t
is less than quarter of an inch long,
but it is on the same principle as the
other jack-screws; Just like those used
in lifting up Cooper institute, only on a
small scale, you see"
lis there any danger of slipping
outP'
"Oh, not at all, my dear sir 1t is a
very ingenious little contrivance. The
whole thing is made of gold and the
nut by which it is turned is next to the
face; you saw me turn it just nowP
Well, turn it once around every TWEEN
ty-four hours, and that turn is equal to
about a 250th part of an inch. Then,
you see, l make memorandum of
each turn. Generally l turn it twice a
day, but only halfway round each
time. | expect that it will take two
or three weeks to straighten the tooth.
lis it uncomfortable? No, not es-
pecially. A little unpleasant when ]
am turning it. Makes me grit my
teeth some, but soon get used to hav-
ing it there. The only objection is
that gold is a little too soft metal
where there is so much pressure
brought to bear. You see, the screw is
a very slender wire and the thread on
it is very delicate, though it feels as
though the whole thing was a foot
long and as big as those used under a
building. A day or two after began
to use it the thread snapped under the
strain. Then | thought there was a
dynamite cartridge in my mouth and
the whole top of my head was coming
off. But it did not hurt me. The dem
fist is going to make one of plantinum
N case this should give out That is a
harder metal. This is my station.
Good night" and the man with the
iack-screw between his teeth left the
train. Y. Irtbune.