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Primitive dentists 遠古牙醫
Sunday, Apr 23, 2006,Page 14
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Scientists simulate the way they think teeth were drilled thousands of years ago. 科學家正在模擬他們認為數千年前所採行的鑽牙方式。
PHOTO: AP
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Researchers have found that primitive dentists were drilling teeth 9,000 years ago, which is 4,000 years earlier than they had thought. Teeth found in a Pakistani graveyard have shown that primitive dentists drilled nearly perfect holes into patients' teeth between 5500BC and 7000BC.
This was not just tinkering. ``The holes were so perfect, so nice,'' said co-author of the research David Frayer, a professor at the University of Kansas. ``I showed the pictures to my dentist and he thought they were amazing holes.''
The drilling occurred on both men and women, and probably went on for about 1,500 years until 5500BC, said Roberto Macchiarelli, head author of the study. There are no signs of drilling after that. Macchiarelli and Frayer said the drilling was probably done to reduce the pain of cavities.
Macchiarelli pointed to the teeth of one unfortunate person who had had a tooth drilled twice. Another person had had three teeth drilled. No signs of fillings were found, but it is possible that these dentists put some kind of substance inside the holes, he said.
But Dr Richard Glenner, an author of dental history books, wasn't convinced that this was good dentistry. The drilling could have been decorative or done to release evil spirits, not to fix unhealthy teeth, he said. ``Why did they do it? No one will ever know,'' he said.
However, Macchiarelli said the hard-to-see locations of the drilled teeth seem to rule out drilling for decorative purposes. (ap)
研究人員發現，九千年前的遠古牙醫就已具備鑽牙技術，這比他們原先認為的時間還早了四千年。研究人員在巴基斯坦一處墓地發現的牙齒顯示，西元前七千年到西元前五千五百年間，遠古牙醫在病患牙齒上鑽出幾近完美的洞。
這鑽牙並非隨便鑽一鑽。這項研究作者之一的堪薩斯大學教授大衛．佛瑞爾說：「這些牙洞非常完美、非常精細。我把照片秀給我的牙醫看，他也覺得這些鑽洞令人驚奇。」
率領這項研究的羅伯托．馬奇亞瑞利表示，男、女的牙齒上都有這樣的鑽洞，這項鑽牙技術可能持續了大約一千五百年，直到西元前五千五百年為止。在那之後就沒有任何鑽牙的跡象。馬奇亞瑞利和佛瑞爾表示，鑽牙可能是為了減緩蛀牙疼痛。
馬奇亞瑞利指出，有位不幸的患者一顆牙被鑽了兩個洞，而另一名患者則是三顆牙上都有鑽洞。他說，沒有發現填補物的痕跡，但這些牙醫可能在鑽洞裡放了某種材料。
不過，牙科歷史叢書作者理查．葛蘭納爾博士並不認同這是好的牙科醫學。他表示，鑽牙有可能是為了裝飾或釋放邪靈，並不是要修補不健康的牙齒。他說：「他們為什麼這麼做？永遠沒人知道。」
但馬奇亞瑞利表示，那些鑽了洞的牙齒都位在難以看見的地方，這似乎排除了鑽牙是為了裝飾的可能。
（美聯社／翻譯：林倩如）
| Today's Words 今日單字 |
1. primitive adj.
原始的 (yuan2 shi3 de5)，遠古的 (yuan3 gu3 de5)
例：Primitive people used tools made out of rocks and sticks.
（原始人利用石塊和棍棒製作工具。）
2. cavity n.
牙的蛀洞 (ya2 de5 zhu4 dong4)
例：I brush my teeth every day so that I don't get cavities.
（我每天刷牙，這樣才不會蛀牙。）
3. decorative adj.
裝飾用的 (zhuang1 shi4 yong4 de5)
例：The fruit on my desk isn't for eating. It is just decorative.
（我在書桌上的水果不是要吃的，那只是裝飾用的。）
4. rule out v. phr.
排除 (pai2 chu2)
例：The doctor thought Paul just had a cold, but she still did some tests to rule out more serious diseases.
（醫師認為保羅只是得了感冒，但為了排除是其他更重大疾病的可能，她仍做了幾項檢驗。）
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| Reading Comprehension 閱讀測驗 |
1. The drilled teeth were found in a ...
a. graveyard.
b. cave.
c. museum.
2. Macchiarelli and Frayer think the drilling was meant to ...
a. be decorative.
b. reduce pain from cavities.
c. release evil spirits.
3. The holes were ...
a. filled with a substance.
b. very well made.
c. drilled after the person died.
4. What kind of books does Dr Glenner write?
Ba. Books about dentistry.
b. Books about primitive people.
c. Books about drilling.
Ans: 1.a 2.b 3.b 4.a |
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