New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-28
RATE-CUTTING BY DENTISTS.
A WOMAN, A TOOTH, AN HOUR, A QUARTER
ONE oTH-ExTRACToR UNHAPPY, THOUGH HE
HAD A PuLL-"Two FOR QUARTER"
NOT GOOD PLAN

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ONE TOOTH ExTRAcToR UNHAPPY, THOUGH HE
HAD PULL-"Two FOR A QUARTER"
NOT A GOOD PLAN.
Haven't you got a quarter IN change'" asked the
dentist he put up his instrument and hunted IN vain
in his pockets for than three coppers. He had
extracted tooth for young man and his remark was
occasloned by the latter Offering 50 bill in payment
puzzled expression came over the recent subjects
face. A quarterl" he calculated; :" why the last
time here paid you so cents for the Same kind
Of Job, and on another occasion you charged me 20
cents for one that was a little harder. What's the
matter, did you beat before2'
"No did not beat you, but competition Is beating
me-" a look OF intense disgust accompanied this
remark, and the man of muscle and gas heavcd a
great sigh His office was in that part Of the Twenty
fifth Ward that has become populous since the elevated
roads began operating, and he had always enjoyed a
good practice. Therefore his complaining was a
matter of surprise, and he was requested to explain
1t Sunday morning and business was dull. The
dentist said he did not want any patients that day any
way, he wanted to go out and get somo air
"As you know he began, " | have been in this
neighbOrhood for time, and have acquired good
reputation. That's all right; it's these young buffers
WHO can't do anything but extract teeth that Pm
kicking about. About dozen of em have stuck up
shingles around here lately and there isn room for
ihem. This business isn't like the business :;
there can be too many dentists, but there can't be
too many saloons Understand the differences Well,
these young fellows stick out their cards and don't get
any business. II all comes to me, because Pm known
and people trust me. Then they cut prices 80
cents, then % cents and most people would rather
a quarter and take chances Of having their Jaw
broken they go to the new men. and Pm in the
soup until | down TO their level. After I've
them the cut they go me one better, and offer
10 extract two teeth for quarter, and some Of em
would yank out three for that sum.
But I'm ahead on that game. No matter how
much nerve mans got he isn't going to wait until
two teeth get bad before he gets relieved of the pain
and he ISN'T going TO wait for other member of
the family to get in the fix he's in, either. Al
though I'm now ahead I'm unhappy. There ought
TO be regular price Of 81 for extracting tooth, and
in most cases It's worth more. The wear and lear
dentists nerves occasioned by the crying, whn-
ing. screaming and signing Of men, and children
who think it's worse to get tooth pulled out than
man like you there the recent subject blushed mod
esty), It's very different. You come in, sit down
in the chair, tell what you want, It's done, you pay
your money. and all is over les real pleasure 10
work for man who acts that way. Darn that bell
This last remark was occasioned by the doorbell
ringing family as II It had been pulled by extremely
tImd person. With sigh and some muttercd impre-
cations the doctor opened the door and then smlingy
ushercd into his Sanctum woman who was holding
handkerchief to her face and snivelling udicrousy.
and a man. evidently her husband The dentist said
invited the woman to take seat in the operating
chair.
No; don't want to- she walled. The doctors
eyes flashed and You could that he was mad all
through but ho kept saying nice things. Then
the husband to the rescue. He told her how easy
II was, that II did not hurt that It would all be over in
minute and that she ought TO be ashamed OF herself
for acting like baby" And then the wife had
another inning. Shc scored her spouse roundly for
being hypOcrite and wound up her trade by declaring
that he needn't talk because he had made bigger
baby of himself previous occasion and she
wouldn't DO such fool to make fuss when she
getting tooth dIawed.' At this stage of tho
game the man subslded and became absorbed in the
works OF art which adorned the walls Of the recep
ton ROOM Then the dentist ma lie another attempt 10
overcome the womans fears and get her to SIT down
In the :" torture seat As soon she touched the
chair she screamed and put her hand over hcr mouth
In about five minutes she permitted the doctor 10 look
al the troublesome tooth. which operation was pain
fll that II brought repeated yes from her throat.
when I'm the Of twenty minutes more the tooth
had been extracted. and the dentist had opened the
window to let out Of the noise and the moist
afr caused by tho food Of tears, the woman smilingy
approached her husband and declared that It didn't
hurt at all' The quarter was paid. the pair went
out and the dentist turned to the young man who had
listened to It all lie did not say anything at first
he merely looked But he looked a whole dictionary
OF adjectves. Then he put on his hat and said
Pm going. That's enough for one day. One woman,
one TOOTH one hour quarter! And yet there are
men who want TO he dentists Come on" And he
shut up the shop and then went 10 nearby dispensay
nj got nerve tonic that put him in such a good
humor that he went TO COney Island and spent the
afternoon and evening listening to the warbling Of
the damsels by the sea-