Slave ship captains used hot coals or a metal device called a speculum oris to force Africans to open their mouths for feeding.

Question

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Unfortunately, it is true that slave ship captains used hot coals or a speculum oris (a device similar to a pair of pliers) to force enslaved Africans to open their mouths for feeding during the transatlantic slave trade. This practice was used to increase the number of enslaved Africans that could be transported on each voyage, as they were usually crowded together in extremely cramped and unsanitary conditions below deck.

Slave Ship Captains Used Hot Coals or a Metal Device