The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-23
A NEW ONE ON THEM.
Dentists and Physicians say That the
Teeth Could Not Have Fallen From Jaw.

Dentists and Physicians Say That the
Teeth Could Not Have Fallen From Jaw.
DR.. George W. Tsixon, who has an Of
flee at 406 Main street was the first and
view the teeth which were dug out of
the mire in the Lancaster swamp. He is
unable to account for the presence of
the teeth on the ground unless they
were forcibly removed from the wo
mans jaw. His experience has been
that healthy teeth, such as the ones
found evidently We're, remain in the jaw
in a good state of preservation years
even after every vestige of flesh and
muscle has disappeared.
DR.. Dixon considers it next to an inn
possibility that the teeth he saw could
have fallen out of the woman's jaw I'M
less force was used. "One of two things
must have happened" he said. THE
blow or series of blows which might be
expected in connection with an affair
of this sort or they were extracted by
some person who evidently understood
handling forceps. In the event of the
first, the jaw bone would of course
show some evidence of the assault or
the teeth would be broken, but nothing
of the sort is in evidence. The teeth are
in good condition and show no signs Of
having been removed from the jaw bone
by a blow The theory that the teeth
were extracted with tools intended for
the purpose is the more probable, and
even then it would require person
familiar with such work to get them out
without breaking
DR.. Dixon considers it a hard matter
to determine a persons age with any
certainty from teeth which have been
well cared for. Wisdom teeth make
their appearance between the ages of
II and As.
Several other local dentists who were
interviewed on the subject. gave as
their opinion that teeth would not drop
out of a jaw bone without assistance,
and that of a forcible nature. One den
list exhibited jaw bone, relic of col
lege days, which has repOsed in his Of
flee for about y years as an example
of how firmly teeth are embedded in the
jaw. The teeth in question could not
be removed even at the present time
without considerable force and the Incl
dent was cited as an excellent illustra-
ton Of the firmness with which teeth
are held in place.
Dr. 7. ]. Barrett said; 1T is a bit un
usual for teeth to drop out Of a skull
Of such an age but I should have to see
the condition of the jaw before I made
a positive statement. Conditions might
arise that would make such thing
probable. It is usually the case that the
teeth are firmly fastened in the jaw and
even when the skull is old it is difficult
to dislodge them"
DR.. B. NJ Pevey of 70 Pleasant street
said that he had never heard of such q
case. and thought 1t very unusual that
the teeth should be found detached from
the bone in such a new skull. He was
of the opinion that blow such as would
tend to loosen the teeth would most
probably fracture the jaw.
Dr.. Francis Brick. d. D., Of High
street, says that he thinks it very i'm
probable that the teeth could have fan
en- out Of their own accord. He has
never heard % a case where such q
thing happened TO a new skull. though
if might be possible 10 dslCdge tbs
teeth easily in a very old one. He has
a skull which is about 80 years old and
the teeth are firmly fastened still. He
thinks a bl1w strong enough to knock
out the teeth would have some effect
on the bones Of the jaw.
A well known physician remarked
that it was most extraordinary thing
for one tooth to fall from the jaw in
such a case. He couldn't understand
how dozen had dropped out.