Steam powered machine to pull a tooth

This nightmarish sketch of a steam powered dental device is the product of the fantasy of an unknown artist. It mercifully never became a reality, but in a way illustrates the common perception of medicine and dentistry during the late 1800s.

A scientist using a steam machine with pulley to extract a tooth from a man. Pen drawing by C.E.H., 1894. Credit: Wellcome Collection. CC BY 4.0.

Highlighted Vignette Volume 13, Issue 2– Spring 2021