Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 July 1896 — Filling a Big Tooth. [ARTICLE]

Filling a Big Tooth.

One time in my early practice down East,” said a dentist on State street, “I had the job of filling an elephant's tooth. The elephant, .lack by name, belonged to Sells’ circus, and, while not as big as Jumbo, he was by no means a small elephant. Jack was the best-natured animal of the herd and was of a most sanguine disposition. “One day, however, when his keeper came to look after him, Jack made a vlelops swing at him with bls trunk, and then trumpeted loudly, showing in every way that he was angry about something. For several days this sudden change in Jack's disposition remained unexplained because nobody dared to go near enough to him to make a careful examination of bls symptoms. It was noticed that when lying down he continually rubbed one jaw on the ground. The keeper at once concluded there must be something the matter with Jack's teeth. I was sent for, and after they had chained the elephant’s legs so that he was unable to move, and swung bls trunk up out of the way, I found a very badly decayed and quite sensitive tooth. When I touched It the elephant trumpeted loudly In pain. “The attendants assured me that there were no weak links in the chain and that Jack's trunk was helpless, so I went on with the work. Finally, either because he had worn himself out, or had discovered that 1 was working for his good, the elephant was perfectly quiet until I had cleaned out the cavity and filled it. “After that his pleasant temper returned, and when 1 went, to see him some weeks later, in his winter quarters, he showed every sign of graceful recognition of my services. 1 received 8100 for the job.”—-Chicago Times-Herald.