Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-06-18
A Jack-Screw Between His Teeth
New York Tribune

New York Tribune
A slender man of quiet and resnao.
able appearance, sitting in a S;y.t
avenue elevated train, last evenips
drew from his inner coat pockat.
narrow steel rod about six inches l.
length. The lod was flat and ill.,
width of an ordinary .leadpenciI a.,
one end there was a small slot in i
So curious an implement and the NV
occupied manner of the man ATTRACTS
the attention of the other passenosr1
in the car. A lady opposite, accom-
panied by little boy, glanced wifi
alarm toward the conductor, who NO.
intehtly watching the man, as tse
latter put the slotted end of the steeI
rod in his mouth. The man shut nj
teeth together and his face underwent
a series of coEtortions as he worried
hIs hand with a motion as if he were
Tightening up loose nut on a bell
The lady became so agitated that She
left her seat and took one nearer tbe
door.
''You needn't be frightened marin
said the conductor, II guess that's
only the circus man with the iror
jaw"
what in the worlds the matter
with him2' asked the lady.
u guess he is only Tightening IN
his jaw, marin, replied the condDc.
tor, consolingly.
The man had now finished the
operation, and he restored the steej
rod to his pocket. Then he took ouf
his memorandum book and made
some entries in 1t carefully, and, hav.
ing finished these entries, he remark,
ed to his neighbor in the ad Joining
seat, as he closed the book:
Science does remarkable things in
these days"
The neghbor nodded.
Now, l don't suppose you would
nave the least idea that I had lack
screw between two of my teeth.
A Jack-sc ~ 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 it began
to grow over in the vacant space. ii
was good tooth, and / didn't want il
pull led, but the dentist couldn't get il
back to its place, until one day an idea
struck him and he said he'd put a
jacks screw in there. So he made one.
1t is less than quarter of an inch
long, but it is made on the same
principle as the other jack screws
Just ON smaller scale, you see.
'Is there no danger of IFS slipping
outi'
ooh, not at all, my dear sir. 1t is
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
MOVE Well, ! turn it once around
every twenty>four hours, and that
tarn is equal TO about 25Oth part of
an inch. Then, you see, l make a
memorandum Of each turn. Generally
l turn it twice day, but only half
way round each time / expect it
will take two or three weeks to
straighten the tooth"
us it uncomfortable"
mo, not especially. A little un-
PAN1lohAlb WhCAA ctAAl H. 4AdhcS
me grit my teeth some, but ] soon get
used to having il there The only
objection is that gold is little too
soft metal where there is so much
pressure brought to bear. You see,
tne screw is very slender wire and
the thread ON tits very delicate.
though it feels as thoNgh the whole
thing was foot long and as big as
those used under building. A day
or two after began to use it the
thread snapped under the strain.
Then l 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 dentist is
going to make one out of platinum
in case this should give out. That is
harder metal. This Is my station.
Good night, and the man with the
jackscrew between his teeth LETT the
train