Exhibit sheds light on grisly teeth-pulling

A grim chapter in Scottish history is being marked in a major new exhibition. The show will cast a light on the morbid 18thcentury practice of teeth-pulling from the unclaimed dead. The underground trade in human remains is believed to have been fuelled by cash-strapped hospital staff looking to capitalize on the growing market for “real” false teeth. One of the victims of the macabre trade will be the face of the new display, which runs at Edinburgh’s City Art Centre until Oct. 8. Using facial reconstruction techniques, university experts have created a lifelike image of an unknown young woman whose remains were discovered 200 years after she was buried in the 1700s in an unmarked grave. Expert analysis found clear evidence that her front teeth were removed before her burial opposite the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, the Scotsman reported. “This exhibit reveals an early move toward criminal medical practice, with the subject’s teeth removed illicitly for money-making purposes,” city council spokeswoman Lynne Halfpenny said. “By putting a face to the finding, we hope to introduce visitors to this grisly but ultimately important part of the Old Town’s rich history.” Compiled by Andre Ramshaw, Postmedia News