Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1885-10-01
AQUEER OPERATION.
How a New York Man Managed a
Jack Screw in Els Mouth.

Jack Screw in Els Mouth.
A slender man of quiet and respect
able appearance, sitting In Sixth ave.
nue. elevated train, last evening, drew
from his inner ccat pocket q narrow
steel rod about SIX inches in length.
The rod was fat and the width Of an
ordinary lead -peEcil. AT tone end there
WAS small slot In it. 90 curious an
implement and the preoccnpIed manner
of the man attracted the attention OF
the other passengers i'm the car. A
lady opposite, acc ompanied by little
boy, glanced with alaim toward The
conductor. who was intently watching
the man, 90 the latter put the slotted
end Of the steel rod In bis mouth. The
man shut his teeth together and his
face underwent a series of cortorti0ns
as he worked his hand with a motion
as il he were Tightening up loose mt
on bolt. The lady became 50 agita-
ted that she left her seat anu took one
nearer the door.
You needn't be frightened, marm, |"
said the conductor, ''I guess that's on
ly the circus man with the iron Aw.''
"What in the worlds The matter
with him 2" asked the lady.
II gucsss he Ia only tightening up
his jaw. marin, y replied the conductor.
consolingly.
The man he'd now finished the opera
tion, and he restored the steel rod To
his pocket. Then he took ont mem
orandum- book aud 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. don't suppose you would
have the least idea that had q jack
screw between two of my teeth.''
ga jack screw ?" inquired bis neigh
Dor. ~ - Ns
eyes, returned the man, smiling.
"rm undergoing dental operation.
One Of my teeth had been extracted.
ahd one of those adjoining it began Cd
grow over in the vacant space. It was
good tooth. and / didn't want it pull
ed. but the dentist couldn't get 1t back
TO its place, one day an idea struck him
and he said he'd put jack screw I'm
there. So he made one. 1t is less than
a quarter of an inch long. but It is on
the same principle as the other jack
screws just like those used I'm lifting
up Cooper institute, only ON small
scale, you see."
"Is there no danger of its slipping
out p'' NE
'sOh. not &C all my dear sir. It In
very ingenious little Continuance. The
whole thing is made Of gold and the
nut by which it Is turned il next to the
face you saw me turn 1t just now
Well, turn it once around every
twenty-four hours, and that turn In
equal TO about two hundred and fif-
tieth part OF an inch. Then, you
see, make a memorandum Of each
turn. Generally turn it twice q
day, but only halfway round each
time. I expect that it viii take two
or three weeks 10 straighten the tooth.
'.is it uncomfortable? No not espe-
cially. A little unpleasant when T am
turning it. Makes me grit my teeth
some, but I soon get used to having 1t
there. The only objection is that gold
is a little tUo soft metal where there is
so much pressure brought to bear.
You see. the screw is q very slender
wire and the thread on it is very deli
cate, though the whole thing was foot
long and as big as those used under o
building. A day or two after began
to use it 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
off. But it did not hurt me. The den-
tist is going to make one of platinum in
case this should give out That is a
harder metal. This my station. Good
night" and the man with the jack
screw between his teeth left TIE train.
A student who had been studying for
several years in the medical department
1 a an ...s..~rexsA~v ,e reoxrrrs Arv,t9nnr rrnroN