|
52
person who went to the door, seeing Dr. Parkman, asked him in. and
went up and told me that it was -he. I sent word to him that I
would come down as soon as I could. He told me his trouble. I
took his teeth, both upper and lower, examined them, and put on
a new spring. He staid about a half an hour, when he was ready
to go home. I had no more professional intercourse with him at all.
I went into the country to pass Thanksgiving, at Longmeadow, and
returned on the Monday morning after Thanksgiving. Arrived home,
I was told that Dr. Lewis wanted to see me, and he presented me
with these remains of mineral teeth, [showing them,] with the request,
that. I would examine them. On looking at then., I recognized them to
be the same teeth I had made for Dr. Parkman. The most uninjured
portion that remained was the block belonging to the left side of the
lower jaw. Several other parts had been very much injured by fire.
I proceeded to look for the mould upon which these teeth were
made, put the metal upon its proper place, and it fitted exactly.
There is sufficient left of these blocks to identify the place where
they belonged. There is no mistake. [He then showed the mould
and remains of teeth, etc.] All the pieces having been found, there
were five pieces, which fitted to their exact places. The only piece
that could not be identified might or might not have been right; but it
was supposed to be right, as there was no reason that it should not
be so.
[The blocks of teeth, etc., were here shown to the Jury by the wit-
ness, and afterwards to the Judges. During the progress of Dr.
Keep's testimony, the Court and the spectators were affected even to
tears, and Dr. Keep, particularly, was overcome with emotion.],
I found imbedded, more or less, with these mineral teeth, some very
minute portions of gold, in bone termed cancellated, being peculiar
to the jaw-bone. I saw the teeth in the doctor's head, tile last
time I saw him, in conversing with him. The presumption is very
strong, that these teeth were put in the fire in the head. Such is the
nature of these mineral teeth, that, especially if they have been worn,
they absorb small particles of water; when suddenly heated, the sur-
face becomes charred, and the water becomes steam, and there would
be a report, with an explosion. I have known such explosions to
take place, on heating teeth that have been worn ; and when they
have been worn recently, the explosion is always sure to take place, if
heated rapidly. If, while in the head, they were put into the fire, only
a small portion would be exposed to the heat; and as the temperature
would be raised so gradually, the water would have time to escape ;
and this accounts, in my mind, for the teeth not being cracked, except-
ing the front teeth, which would have been most exposed. I have
found, fused into the remains of teeth, portions of the natural jaw.
All these teeth were exhibited to me at the same time.
Cross-examination. My first impression, on seeing'the teeth shown
me by Dr. Lewis, was, of the circumstances which I have related. Do
not think I have been burnishing, up my recollection since they were
shown rue. Knew them for myself, without examining the mould;
but I did examine them with the mould. The mould of Dr. Parkman
was preserved, as moulds usually are, for future use, in case of acci-
dent to the teeth.
I heard of Dr. Parkman being missing before I went into the coun-
|
