CARMARTHENSHIRE-L Archives

From: "Davies" <>
Subject: [Cmn-L] Operators and Tooth-drawers in the 18th century
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 09:55:28 +1000

Few complaints were more common or more troublesome than toothache; and in
the 18th century the methods of treating, extracting and replacing bad teeth
had improved very little since the Middle Ages when tooth-drawers, wearing
necklaces of teeth round their necks and sewed into their belts, would
declaim their skill at fairs,promising painless extractions and giving rise
to the adage, 'to lie like a tooth-drawer'.
Teeth were treated and pulled out not only by barbers but also by
blacksmiths,hairdressers,apothecaries,farriers and even by
cobblers,watchmakers,jewellers and wood-turners.
One poor fellow having seven teeth extracted said, 'It made I sweat, it was
all over in ten minutes,but the place was like a butcher's shop and once I
should have liked to knock the doctor through the door'.

>From 'The English A Social History 1066-1945 by C Hibbert.

This thread:

• [Cmn-L] Operators and Tooth-drawers in the 18th century by "Davies" <>

  • RE: [Cmn-L] Operators and Tooth-drawers in the 18th century by "Janie Watkins" <>