Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-09-22
IN WOMAN'S BEHALF.
SHE EXTRACTS TEETH.
Story of Chicago Woman Dentist---Ii
Trials and success.


There is a colony in Chicago Of enter
prising and intelligent woman dentists,
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 pr
pare themselves for their work and 20
at II zealously and conscientiously.
The pioneer was Mrs VI. 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-
ton 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 a 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. you see, since
l began there has been a tremendous
change in public opinion. The progress
that has been made, within the past
ten years, passes belief"
Where We're you educated?'
Il have had no college training.
When l began there was no college of
dentistry in Chicago. My husband was
a dentist and l studied with him. be-
gan shortly after / 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
purse and helped us. l remained in
Milwaukee little over a year and then
/ went to Cresco, Howard county, Iowa.
/ had two children.
Il 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 a half The business did not pay
me. and l realized that | 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 adj
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
few days, nor did l expect very great
financial results. To my surprise / was
busy almost from the first day. and. in
the three weeks l remained, | earned
5000
Il then continued to open branch of
fees until / had six, all of which | Wis
tied at stated seasons. and did we'll
DO you extract teeth too?"
'Oh, yes" she said with 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 mad always re-
fused to use the forceps because feared
that l did not possess the requisite
strength This is a 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 | looked around and took
up the forceps with a good deal of mis-
giving. But realized that, sooner or
later, l would have it to learn and
would have to make a beginning got
hold of the tooth, gave it a little wrench
and out it came-so easily that | looked
at it frightened, supposing that had
broken it all to pieces. But there it
was. intact. | never failed in all my
practice. and have never broken a tooth
in attempting to phil 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 VIM
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 every body else, l was not
contented until | came back. realized
that | never should have gone away.
had been gone away from 1873 t. 1879.
Shortly after my return met Mr. Geo.
B. Carpenter Music Hail was not yet
B77if+ b,t4 was in determination.