Young Tom Tulliver makes the case (in vain) that studying Euclid causes toothache. If you allow for psychosomatic effect, he may be right. In any case, a winning education-avoidance reaction, almost as good as Timothy’s awful moment.   

‘I don’t think I am well, father,’ said Tom; ‘I wish you’d ask Mr. Stelling not to let me do Euclid – it brings on the toothache, I think.’

Source: George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss (London: Oxford University Press, 1963), p. 153

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