Archaeological Dig at Australian Metro Station Unearths 1,000 Human Teeth
A local dentist probably flushed the molars down the toilet or discarded them with his trash
By Meilan Solly
smithsonian.com
August 22, 2018
Australian dentist J.J. Forster, who practiced in Melbourne between 1898 and the 1930s, attracted patients with his promise of teeth removal “truthfully without pain.†But the roughly 1,000 rotting molars unearthed during the construction of a metro line near Swanston Street, one-time home of Forster’s practice, tell a different story.
Sean Davidson of 9News reports that Forster and other local dentists likely pulled the teeth rather than attempting to repair them. Samples found at the sites of two new metro stations, Town Hall and State Library, reveal clear signs of cavity decay and root exposure, suggesting patients arrived at the dentist’s office in hopes of alleviating their chronic pain.
Read more:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeological-dig-australian-metro-station-unearths-1000-human-teeth-180970100/#X0dk40dhXt76QSji.99
