‘Miserable tooth’ left in Auckland

Press, 16 August 1988, Page 8

‘Miserable tooth’ left in Auckland

PA Auckland A West German seaman left Auckland last evening a happy man after leaving his tooth, worth, in a sense, about $7OOO, with an Auckland dentist. Mr Michael Maas was relieved because he despised “that miserable tooth.”

He said it had caused him so much pain that he asked four shipmates to pull it out while at sea, using two bottles of rum as “local anaesthetic.”

“One held my left arm, one held my right arm and one held my legs, while the other tried to pull it out. But the pain

The ship was beginning a voyage from Panama to Melbourne when the tooth broke, exposing a nerve. The pain became so unbearable Mr Maas could not sleep or eat for

five days, causing the ship’s master to call Auckland for help on Sunday evening. It cost $6OOO to hire two helicopters for two hours to travel 210 km north-east of Auckland to bring Mr Maas, aged 21, back to shore.

The second helicopter made the trip to ensure there were no problems. After receiving some painkillers from Auckland Hospital Mr Maas spent a night in a motel, costing $156 plus tax. Early yesterday, he rushed to a dentist in downtown Auckland to have the molar removed, costing about $BO. Last evening he took a flight to Melbourne to join his ship Columbus Queensland. The air fare was $592.

The ship’s insurers will meet the costs.