Makes perfect sense, when you think about it
Behold, the tooth worm! This is an 18th Century sculpture carved in ivory (notice the pegs — it fits together and closes up) by an unknown artist.
But people really believed this was a thing. I mean, not this imaginative version, but people believed in a tooth worm that burrowed into teeth and made them go bad and ouchy. Believed it from antiquity right into the 20th C.
And when you think about it, extracted teeth would usually have little dark holes in them, like rotten apples. Yeah, worms. Makes sense. Compounded by the possibility that early dentists mistook nerves or blood vessels for worms while they were digging around in there.
Ow. Let’s not think about that too hard.
This is taken from a delightful blog I ran across in my travels, the Chirurgeon’s Apprentice. So many gruesome historical nuggets, I had difficulty picking just one.
Right, see you back here tomorrow? It’s time for Dead Pool Round 68! Be here or be somewhere else!
Posted: August 14th, 2014 under blogging, personal.
Comments: 27
Comments
Comment from Mrs Compton
Time: August 14, 2014, 11:18 pm
Love that site, follow her on FB too!!
Comment from S. Weasel
Time: August 14, 2014, 11:33 pm
I might’ve knowed you’d be a regular, Mrs C.
Comment from Nina
Time: August 15, 2014, 1:34 am
Thank God it’s Friday tomorrow! I woke up this morning with no voice. On the first day of school. It was not pretty.
I’ve never seen anything like this, though. Fascinating. The odd things people choose to make art out of and into are very interesting.
I’ll be in second period tomorrow at 6 WBT, so I’m thinking I’ll miss out on all the easy picks. I’ll try to drop in later if I can think of someone besides a certain colleague who I wish would just go.away.
Comment from Stark Dickflüssig
Time: August 15, 2014, 3:58 am
Oh man, the naked guy with a truncheon is pretty much fact.
Comment from Bob Mulroy
Time: August 15, 2014, 4:40 am
Thanks Sweas! A bit of arcana that is new to me. You know how much I love my arcana!
Comment from surly ermine
Time: August 15, 2014, 10:18 am
How wonderfully awful. I’m now haunted by the fish scale babies and the green, cemetary ooze.
Comment from AltBBrown
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:04 pm
Tick, tock…
Comment from Formerly known as Skeptic
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:08 pm
Cue the Jeopardy theme…
Comment from S. Weasel
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:09 pm
It should have dropped by now, shouldn’t it? Lemme go check…
Comment from S. Weasel
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:11 pm
Yep. Hang on. I had it down for the 14th. It’ll drop when the clock reads 7:11.
Comment from AltBBrown
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:12 pm
7:11??
Comment from S. Weasel
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:12 pm
Er, 7:12. Sorry, sorry. You can’t tell a scheduled post to post now, and you have to set a date in the future.
Now I know.
Comment from AltBBrown
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:14 pm
Thought it was 6 PM Sweasel time.
Comment from Formerly known as Skeptic
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:23 pm
I don’t know about 6 PM, but it’s definitely on SWeasel time!
Comment from AltBBrown
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:25 pm
Skeptic–> 2 humor points awarded!
Comment from Formerly known as Skeptic
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:27 pm
Now I think she’s just trying to run up the comment count on this tooth-worm post…
Comment from S. Weasel
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:28 pm
Well, crap. Hang on…
Comment from S. Weasel
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:29 pm
Hold your breath…I think it’s coming at half past…
Comment from S. Weasel
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:30 pm
Shit. Hold on.
Comment from Formerly known as Skeptic
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:32 pm
Half past what?
Comment from S. Weasel
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:33 pm
Okay, 18:35 for the win!!!
goddammit.
Comment from Formerly known as Skeptic
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:33 pm
Sorry Sweas, I kid…I’ll shut up now.
Comment from S. Weasel
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:34 pm
Heh. S’okay, Formerly. I have thicker hide than that. I just can’t believe there isn’t a way to tell a scheduled post to go ahead and post now.
If this doesn’t work, I’ll just copy and paste the text into a new message.
Comment from Formerly known as Skeptic
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:37 pm
I figured, but when you’re already frustrated the needling can get to be a bit much. You did update the day to Aug 15 right?
Comment from AltBBrown
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:37 pm
Better pray you don’t win, Skeptic. Your paper will have that special poo in it…
Comment from Formerly known as Skeptic
Time: August 15, 2014, 6:40 pm
I’ll just note that this thread had only 6 comments before 6:00.
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