<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <style type="text/css"> td:first-letter { } </style> <script type="text/javascript"> function boom() { var tbody = document.getElementById("tbody"); document.documentElement.offsetHeight; tbody.style.direction = "rtl"; document.documentElement.offsetHeight; tbody.style.direction = ""; document.documentElement.offsetHeight; } </script> </head> <body onload="boom();"> <table><tbody id="tbody"><tr><td><span>1 2</span></td></tr></tbody></table> </body> </html>