Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-22
WhereG 0inQ
To The Dentist
|SACirCuS


face the forceps and the drill with stole calm, at
with spartan fortitude thousands
people get filters thought the padded
fitting chair
'graidy cats can their lucky stars
they not natives of the island of Bali which the pub
ctty who write those persuasive travel folders have
labelled 'Earths Last Paradise"
In far-away Bali II has been the custom for centuries
to have teeth filed halfway down to the gums The local
dentists lers travel from village 70 village performing
their traditional and unpleasant operations without benefit
anesthetcs otherwise The contents Of their
bags make them like itinerant plumbers than
dental surgeons for their tools consist largely OF clamps
keep the mouth open and many crude files and
Not long ago three of these hlers descended
community the outskirts of Dentasar They were all
up the preceded by native
band footing and drumming and otherwise looking like
small but colorful circus parade
The dusky-faCed artisans of the file and the finally
arrived gates courtyard beside the templeke
residence of the local There they greeted by the
Poobah himself and by gathering Of his relatives and
friends who seemed all set for a holiday.
The guests squatting the ground Spread be
fore them feast of roasted meats baskets Of fruit and
jugs of troupe of temple dancers in their sth
golden getups ready TO go into action
the courtyard half dozen girls soemny marched
The oldest was perhaps and youngest
years old In center Of the clearing they decorousy
down The filters approached them and formally
introduced They opened their kit bags The girls opened
their mouths The holiday" under way
Few tourists 10 "earth's last paradise" have Wit
messed these But those who have say
that something that has to be TO be believed The
santyyed dentists not gentle wormen and the nerve
Balinese tooth just sensitive in any
other tooth. Unquestionably the girls suffer agony
like the Spartan youth who held his hand in the
fame until burned a crisp and batted
eYethese that it's all their social position
worth TO so much as vince 10 say nothing OF utteng the
equivalent Of ouch They just have to sit and
while their their friends stuff themselves
with good food and get amaby muled the best wine
that the island affords.
The Syhoe show is staged 20 the monotonous incanta
tons Of high priest who explains in his sngsong
Plus Hindus been having their dental work done
this for long time and that the patients having
teeth shortened against the when they will depart
this life and live the delightful soft pap which every
good believes will be served at least three times
day his special heaven This circus with the old raa
keeping "A sharp eye the girls that Of them
the family scutcheon by much letting
that something painful being done to them went
hours
Every now and then a wrinkled old crone inspected
the whispered words TO the girls
their and she knew exactly how the job
should be done, and how they should behave
While the files rasped the highcaste Balnese provided
a background o lively conversation and laughter a
special pavilion set up for the They chatted
heavyhanded mnstrations Of the trav
cling dentists had come TO thembut no one had the
taste mention that there any pain connected with
the express sympathy for the girls who
stocally suffering there the hot
Finally when the old satisfied the dentists
put their tools back in their sachels bowed deliberately to
the girls and everyone especially the raja and de-
parted.
The girls rose and in spite of the express
their faces they seemed TO suggest that
they very much like American girls English girls
finally released from the dentists chair with such
happy words III you again in about six months
Once a long time Balnese girl finds that she lacks
the intestinal fortude to have her teeth sawed and filed
without registering involuntary objection to such treat
ment. When this happens the weakling is promptly
moved the and secluded for week
from controlled companions Her folks have to
make they ashamed of her though they
heartily sympathize with her behavior.
Such upsetters ancient custom bawed out prn.
cpaly they have had the bad to disrupt
the enjoyment the spectators who feel very little pain
with their feastng.
life supposed to be easygoDg and it is very
atitnc Int
animal Is Contributed that he or She sometimes