West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-07-24
a QUEER OPERATION.
How a New York Man Managed % Jack
screw ia Iiz Mouth.

sorrow IN Ntts Mouth
A slender man of quiet and respect
able appearance, sitting in Sixth ave-
nue. elevated train, last evening, drew
from his inner coat pocket a narrow
steel rod about six inches in length
The rod was Hat and the width OF an
ordinary lcad-pencil At one end there
was n small slot in IT, So curious an
implement and the preoccupied manner
OF the man attracted the attention of
the other passengers in the car A lady
opposite, accompanied by little boy,
glanced with alarm toward the con
ductor, who was intently watching the
man, as the latter put the slotted end of
the steel rod in his mouth The man
shut his teeth together and his face un-
derwcDt IA series of contortions as he
worked his hand with motion as if he
were tightening up "a loose nut on a
bolt The lady became so agitated that
she left her seat and took one nearer
the door.
You needn' be frightened, marin"
said the conductor, II guess that 4 only
the circus man with the iron law"
What in the world the matter with
him?' asked the lady.
81 guess he is only tightening up his
Jaw, marin y replied the conductor, con
solingly
The man had now finished the opera
ton, and he restored the steel rod to
his pocket Then he took out memo
raudum-book and made some entries i'm
it carefully, and, having finished these
entries. he remarked to his neiphbor in
the adjoining seat, as he closed the
book:
Science does remarkable things in
these days The ucighbor nodded.
Now, ! don't suppose YOU would
have the least idea that 1 had jack
screw between two of my teeth. "
"a iack-scTew?' inquired his neigh
Dor
"Yes, returned the man. smiling
I'm undergoing a dental operation
One of my teeth had been extracted
and one of those adjoining il began TO
grow over in the vacant space. II was
good tooth. and ] didn't want il
pulled, but the dentist couldn't get il
back to its place. until one dav an idea
struck him and ho said he'd put "a lack
screw in there So he made one. IL is
less than quarter Of an inch long. but
1t IS on She same principle as the other
iack-screws- just like those used IN
lifting mp Cooper Institute. only on a
small scale, you see.
rs there no danger Of It's slipping
out2"
"Oh, not at all, my dear sir. II isa
very ingenious little cOntrivance. The
whole tning is made Of gold and the nut
by which it is turned is next to the face:
you saw me turn IL just now? Well /
turn 10 once around every twenty-four
hours, and that turn is equal 10 about
a two hundred and fiflieth part Of an
inch. Then, YOU see, I make a mem
Orandum Of each turn. Generally /
turn it twice q day but only halfway
round each time. expect that il will
take two or three weeks 10 straighten
the tooth.
els it uncomfortable No. not cspe-
cially. a little unpleasant when am
turning It, Makes me grit my teeth
>omc, but ] soon get used 10 having 10
there. The only objection is that gold
Is q Ittlc too soft "a metal where thcro
D. so much pressure brought 10 bear
You see The screw is very slender
wire and the thread on 10 rs very deli
cate, though it feels as though the
whole thing was foot long aud as biz
a. those used under building dav
or two after ! began 10 use il the thread
snapped under the strain. Then I
thought there was dynamite cartridge
IN my mouth and the whole top of my
head was coming Oh But b. did not
hurt me The dentist is going to- make
one Of platinum in case this should give
out That is 70 harder metal This i.
my station Good ght, md the man
with The iack-screw between hi. teeth
left the train. Az y TribUtlc.