Bohemia Village Voice

Cyril Pelluet writes (Mar 2009)

Dear Sir, Vic Chalcraft’s letter re Bert Northwood brought back memories of Mr Penfold.

My first ever visit to a dentist was to Mr Penfold at the clinic described. I was told I was having a filling.  Of course there were no high speed, high tech drills in those days (probably around 1950).  Mr Penfold had a low-speed, foot pedal operated machine with a blunt bit and no anaesthetic.

Before long, he hit a nerve and I yelled in pain whilst accidentally clamping my jaws on his thumb.  He then yelled and cuffed me round the ear before completing his grisly task.  Some time later, I read he had committed suicide.  Could it be he caught rabies from my bite ? Probably not, but it would have served him right.

I also recall that extractions were preceded by the application of gas supplied via a rubbery gas mask instead of a pain killing injection.  Whilst knocked out by the gas, there was usually an embarrassing side effect of wetting one’s pants.

There’s a lot to be said for present day dental techniques.

Cyril Pelluet – formerly of Salisbury Road