American Civil War Medicine & Surgical Antiques

Surgical Set collection from 1860 to 1865 - Civilian and Military

Civil War:  Medicine, Surgeon Education & Medical Textbooks

 Dr. Michael Echols & Dr. Doug Arbittier

2011 - "The sesqui-centennial of the Civil War" -  2015

The 150th Year Celebration

 

Instruments & Surgical Sets For Sale

Civil War Medical Books For Sale: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

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Post-1880's Surgical Sets and Instrument identification

Non-Civil War Surgical Sets

 

By Dr. Michael Echols

The key feature for identification of post sterilization c. 1870-80's, surgical sets is the absence of composite, ebony, ivory, or other non-metallic handles.  If it's chrome plated or has a metal handle, it's post 1890 for sure and maybe post 1880.

If the instruments have metal handles, they are NOT Pre-1870 and most likely are post 1880-90.   There is absolutely no way any of the following were used in the Civil War especially anything marked 'AESCULAP"

Typical 1890's all metal handle set

 

  Metal handled knives in post 1880 pocket surgical kits

 

   

Typical post 1890's chrome plated saw and instruments with metal handles

 

Post 1890 neurological set, all metal trephine, leather bag, Merck bottles  None of which, existed during the Civil War

 

 

Post 1880 French set by Charriere, with many of the attributes of an earlier set (velvet lined, mahogany case, brass cartouche, bilateral  latches, but the bottom line is the instruments are all made for sterilization with all metal handles and are post-1880 for sure

Post 1880 American set by Shepard and Dudley with all metal handles

Tiemann surgical set c.1881 evaluation

By Dr. Michael Echols

This set came up on eBay in 2008 and I saved the photos for evaluation and discussion.  I do not own this set.

This is an unusual post-sterilization set produced by George Tiemann & Co. c. 1881.  Of particular note is the mahogany case, which until it is opened, one would think was pre-1860 judging by the brass banding, keyed lock, and brass name plate. 

On opening, the blue velvet interior would be typical of post-Civil War sets, but the presence of plated metal handles on the saw, amputation knives, trephine, and absence of any non-sterilizable materials is the cardinal point of the example.  Tiemann would still put up their post-sterilization instruments in pre-sterilization cases and interiors in 1881 as the era of non-sterilization slowly passed.

 

Civil War Instruments & Books:  For-Sale

 

Rare Civil War Medical & Surgery Books For Sale: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

 

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American Civil War Medicine & Surgical Antiques

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Please note: information on this site may not be normally referenced as this is an active research project and personal notes may not be properly cited for publication.  Various articles are digitally reproduced under the fair-use act of the copyright laws and are intended for educational purposes only.  Many citations are from Google digital 'books' and can be traced backwards via a unique string in the citation.

Last update: Saturday, February 04, 2012