in the Extraction of Teeth. 203 



has firmly grasped the tooth. It will he ohserved that 

 both hands are employed in this operation — one hand grasps 

 the tooth with the forceps in the usual way, while the other 

 hand places one arm of the lever on the fulcrum, and the 

 other arm under the forceps, which is then raised along with 

 the tooth by rotating the lever. 



The second (Fig. 2, Table 1) modification of the lever consists 

 of a shaft and handle similar to the first, but the shaft terminates 

 on the rest or plate on which it rotates where the lever for 

 raising the forceps is connected with the extremity of the 

 shaft in the form of a door-key, with a roller to facilitate 

 its motion in contact with the forceps. (Vide Plate.) 



It is an advantage in favour of this lever power, that it 

 can readily be applied to many of the ordinary forceps now 

 in use without alteration; at the same time it adds greatly 

 to the usefulness of the lever, to have a small steel bar 

 attached to the forceps by means of the pivot either on the 

 upper or under side, and to project half an inch beyond the 

 jaws, as in the forceps now exhibited ; or the same projec- 

 tion can readily be forged on new forceps expressly designed 

 for this lever power, as in the forceps now shown. (Figs. 3, 4, 

 Table 2.) With this projection the lever may be used either 

 in front of the jaws with the forceps or behind them, as 

 the case may require. 



I shall only further call your attention to the importance 

 of this mode of extraction as a means of lessening the pain 

 of the operation. It is well known that the pain of the 

 operation is very much lessened when the tooth is extracted 

 without shaking or twisting, as I have myself frequently 

 proved in using Gilbert's patent chair, the principle of 

 which is to provide a fulcrum as a rest for the forceps. I 

 now exhibit the bar and rest which are attached to the 

 chair, and which furnish this fulcrum. The drawback to 

 Gilbert's chair is its expense, and the trouble connected with 

 its Use. But for this it might have come into very general 

 favour, as it is unquestionably an instrument of great power, 

 and very much lessens the pain of extraction. The mode of 

 extraction, by means of this new lever, is very similar to 

 -that by Gilbert's patent chair, and hence it may be in- 

 ferred that the pain of extraction will be very much lessened 

 by the lever, which may be applied so as to raise the tooth 

 perpendicularly, or exactly in the line of its axis. 



As it is only a short time since the instrument first de- 

 scribed was completed, and as the second was only finished 



