Huntsville gazette., 1892-09-03
IN WOMAN'S BEHALF.
SHE EXTRACTS TEETH.


who are more and more finding favor
with the public and demonstrating that
there are few professions in which
women may not succeed, if they pre-
pare th .mselves for their work and go
1T it zea:ously and conscientiously.
The pioneer was Mrs. NJ. e. Abbott,
whose place of business is at the corner
of Cottage Grove avenue and Thirty
first street, and whose speciality, as her
card states, is ''crown and bridge
work. She also gives special atten-
tion to children's teeth.
A reporter, says the Chicago Inter
Ocean, called to see her recently, and
found her willing to give her expert
ence for the encouragement of others
who may be contemplating like de-
parture from the beaten path. She has
two rooms a reception and operating
room, and in the former a sewing-ma-
chine and white lawn gown, trimmed
with embroidery, in process of making,
proved that, whatever calling a woman
may pursue, certain womanly habits
will cling to her through everything.
The assistant admitted the visitor and
presently the dentist herself came in.
She is woman of medium height, with
good, regular features, dark eyes and
hair and fair complexion.
''Yes, have had checkered career"
she admitted, as she pulled off her
gloves and sat down. 'sYou see, since
j began there has been a tremendous
change in public opinion. The progress
Ixx ha ocf
ten years, passes belief.
where were you educated?"
81 have had no college training.
When began there was no college of
dentistry in Chicago. My husband was
a dentist and l studied with him. be-
gan shortly after l was married. We
lived on Oak street, not far from the
lake. and were doing well at the time
of the fire. That ruined us. We lost
everything, like hundreds of others,
and were among the refugees who went
to Milwaukee. Friends made up a
purse and helped us. / remained in
Milwaukee little over year and then
l went to Cresco, Howard county, Iowa
had two children.
II learned my profession thoroughly,
and made speciality of the mechanical
part of it. 1t was really forced upon
me, for had my two little children and
had to do whatever work / might un-
dertake, at home. This it was possible
for me to do in dentistry. l went to
Cresco in the winter 1t was intensely
cold weather, as cold as it ever gets in
that part of the country. | had my
children with me and remained year
and half. The business did not pay
me, and realized that l would have to
branch out and open other offices in
neighboring towns. My friends, who
were greatly interested in my success,
and who are still my friends, also ad-
vised this. My first venture was in
Preston, MINI. 1t was thirty miles
from Cresco, off the railroad, and the
journey had to be made in an open
wagon had heard of the community
as one made up of intelligent, progress
sive people. went in January in the
midst of a raging blizzard, holding my
baby close to me, under the blankets,
to keep him from freezing. Louise was
left with friends. She was then seven
wears old. 1t was in midwinter and
did not expect to remain more than a
few days, nor did expect very great
financial results. To my surprise was
busy almost from the first day, and, m
the three weeks / remained, l earned
$500.
81 then continued to open branch Of
fees until 1 had six, all of which vis-
tied at stated seasons, and did well.
'Do you extract teeth, too?"
''Oh, yes," she said with a smile
DO you remember the first case Of
this sort?'
Perfectly. That was in Cresco. My
husband came out into the back room
and said: Minnie, there is man in
the office who wants his tooth pulled
and you must do it. l had always re-
fused to use the forceps because feared
that ] did not possess the requisite
strength. This is mistake that most
women make. 1t is not mere strength
that is needed; it is science. The man
was big Norwegian-an unpromising
subject-and l looked around and took
up the forceps with good deal of mis-
giving. But i realized that, sooner or
ldtcI, L WOOiu HdNC ~ W 1CAA II ohOl
would have to make beginning. Igot
hold of the tooth, gave it little wrench
and ont it came-so easily that looked
at it frightened, 'supposing that l had
broken it all to pieces. But there it
was, intact. / never failed in all my
practice, and have never broken tooth
in attempting to pull it. 1t is some
thing that the most delicate woman can
do easily, if she knows how. My daugh-
ter came to me while ] was in Preston
-one of the coolest days of that win
ter. She, too, made the trip in an open
wagon, wrapped up in buffalo robes
She was a tiny child-and could not be
separated from me any longer"
"And what about your practice
here?'
"Well, like everybody else. was not
contented until came back. realized
that never should have gone away.
had been gone away from 1873 to 1879.
Shortly after my return met Mr.. Geo.
b. Carpenter. Music Hall was not yet
built, but was in contemplation.
went first to the corner of Michigan
avenue and Fourteenth street and hung