DENTIST IN A HAREM.

Gisborne Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6319, 23 February 1922, Page 6

DENTIST IN A HAREM.

SULTAN CHLOROFORMED ALL

HIS WIVES

The Sultan Alulai Abdul. Aziz and Mulai Hafid, of Alorocco, both took an interest in medicine and dentistry, but when it came to .their womenfolk being attended by European practitioners, all sorts- of curious difficulties were apt to arise. Thus an English dentist, who attended the ladies of the palace in the reign of tlie former of these two Sultans, was only allowed to work on the mouths of the inmates of the Imperial harem through a small hole cut in a. sheet, which entirely enveloped the patient as she sat in the dentist’s chair.

So successfully, however, did he mend up the teeth of the ladies of the palace that the Viziers followed suit, and the dentist had a busy .time. The Minister of Foreign Affairs sent fer me one clay (writes Mr Walter B. Harris in “Morocco That Was”), and after some general remarks asked me if ,1 knew the dentist. I replied that L did, and that he was an adept at liis art.

The Vizier continued that he knew personally very little about dentistry, and would I tell him whether every time his wife sneezed it was necessary to sneeze her new row of upper teeth half across the room? I replied that I doubted whether this was an absolute necessity, but I would ask the dentist. I did so, and the lady's set of teeth - was quickly altered to fit her better.

“It is wonderful,” said the Vizier to me later on;; “she sneezes and isneez&s and- lier teeth never even rattle.’- . I

' Mulai Abdul Azis's first experience of the use of chloroform might easily have led to more serious results. Dr. Verdon, his English doctor, had operated on a slave under chloroform, and the Sultan had been present. The operation over, his Majesty retired into the palace carrying, with him a large bottle of the anaesthetic. The doctor tried to obtain possession of five bottle, but in vain, and all he could do was to warn his Majesty to be very careful with it. He no doubt, was, for apparently nobody died; but rumor has it that his ladies' lay all, over the. palace as Insensible as logs of wood—for he had a, grand chloroforming evening all to himself!