Dentist extracting a patient’s tooth with pliers as an assistant holds the patient’s head to the back of a chair with a towel, c1872.

Source

Cynitron5000: Just one of the many reasons why I’m perfectly happy with the time in civilization in which I live.

Dittybopper: Just the way dear ol dad used to do it (not kidding).

Boomerdude: I wonder if the patient had health insurance?