Dr. James W. Stone. Report of the Trial of
Professor John W. Webster ...
, 1850
,
Image No: 174
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Dr. James W. Stone. Report of the Trial of
Professor John W. Webster ...
, 1850
,
Image No: 174
   Enlarge and print image (55K)           << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
165 ley, of Newburyport, use the same materials, and in nearly the same way, as Dr. Keep. All mineral teeth are made of nearly the same substances-quartz, felspar, and fine white clay; but they differ in their proportions of these materials. Dr. Keep's teeth are almost destitute of white clay. This work appears to have been done by Dr. Keep. I am quite confident that it is Dr. Keep's style and composition. When he manufactures blocks of teeth, he does not separate each tooth down to the gum, as I do ;but he leaves them connected together, probably for the purpose of giving them greater strength. I know Dr. Keep's work, from having seen it in the mouths of patients, and some- times at his place. I don't say that Dr. Keep's style is his alone. His style is not to separate the teeth far from their edge or point. ['Models shown.] I should think, from the absorption of bone at one part on the left - [Objected to, as not being proper for rebutting testimony and the Court ruled that it was not, of course, admissible to go into general testimony now ; but that it was proper to state the peculiari- ties upon which to ground judgment.] If I had the moulds, and if I had made the teeth, and if I had seen them a short time before, I should know teeth that I had made. I think Dr. Keep could not have been mistaken. [Here the witness stated that since handling the block shown him, a portion of the top of a tooth had come off, thus showing the original composition.] I should not conceive how he could have been mistaken, unless there were duplicates of the set. Cross-examination. The block has a peculiarity; has a projection below the molar teeth, which corresponds to an extraordinary absorp- tion. From this, as well as the general workmanship and style of making, I should know then, if they were mine, even in such a condition. I think there are several gentlemen who make teeth in blocks, but in a different way. I have seen blocks something like that. I have looked over two bushels of models, but have not seen any so marked and so peculiar. From the circumstances I have stated, I do not think that the maker of these teeth could have been mistaken. Ds. JOSHi1A TUCKER, szvorn.-I am a dentist, in this city. I have received a medical education, and have been in the practice of den- tistry twenty-one years; and have been employed all the time. I have given attention continually to artificial teeth, and manufacture sets, as well as single teeth. [The block of teeth found in the furnace here shown.] I should not like to give any opinion on any but the left lower block, and that I should think could be identified by a dentist. I think the dentist who made it could identify it as easily as an artist, who had spent a week in painting a man's face on canvass, would recognize the picture painted by himself. Cross-examination. I should think, in connection with a model. a man could identify his work. If a man made the teeth, and had the model from which he made them, then I should think he might identify them. I would not say that they might not be warped into shape by heat. DR. WILLARD W. CODD'LAN, sworn. - I am a dentist. I have received medical education, and have been connected pretty largely with dentistry, for about fifteen years; part of that time I wrought upon mineral teeth entirely. [The teeth found in the furnace shown to the witness.] I think they furnish sufficient means of identification.