Wood and ivory figure group depicting a 17th century scene of a tooth extraction, possibly 17th century
Removing a tooth in the 1600s was a painful and sometimes physically damaging process with, at best, only alcohol or herbal concoctions to numb the pain. This wood and ivory statue represents a tooth-pulling scene from the time.
Tooth-pulling was viewed with a certain amount of disdain by the established medical profession and teeth were often extracted by local barber-surgeons or by travelling practitioners – who often had very dubious medical skills.
Details
- Category:
- Dentistry
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A127865
- Measurements:
-
overall: 230 mm x 195 mm x 190 mm, .84kg
- type:
- statue
- credit:
- Glendining