1861 Army Supply
Table
List of
instruments for the field & hospital during the first year
of the Civil War
This is the Union Army Medical Department's 1861
Revised Army Supply Table, which listed the surgical instruments
recommended for a 'field' or 'hospital' unit. This table can be
used to help date a given surgical set based on what was specified to be
contained in a given type of set during the early days of the Civil War.
The composition of the set specifications changed later in the War as needs,
a new Surgeon-General, and the Army Medical Department
organization changed.
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Note carefully
article 1304 on the upper right, which states without doubt that "the
transfer of the surgical instruments issued to each medical officer
for is positively forbidden. These instruments will be
accounted for the Surgeon-General on the 31st day of December
annually in a special return in which the true condition of each
must be stated; and if any be lost or damaged, a report of the facts
and circumstances attending each loss or damage, must be given."
I would think this
provides all the documentation necessary to confirm the fact that
surgeon's were expected to return their instruments when leaving the
Army, and the instruments supplied by the Army would not have been
engraved with the surgeon's name or regiment as is seen on some sets
obtained post-War. These regulations obviously do not apply to
state volunteer militia surgeons, whose sets or instruments may have
in fact been brought to the War and used by their unit medical
staff.
Instrument lists after the
first year of the War
The following is
the later set of specifications as published in the Regulations of
the Medical Department by Grace and in the Medical and Surgical
History, note changes and greater details.
Source: "The
Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion. (1861-65.) Part
III, Volume II, Chapter XIV.--The Medical Staff and Materia Chirugica"
(1)
The
Capital Operating Case contained: 2 amputating knives (one
long, one medium), 2 catlings (one long, one medium), 4 scalpels, 1
cartilage knife, 1 capital saw (long, bow, two blades), 1 metacarpal
saw, 1 chain saw, 1 Hey's saw, 1 trephine (conical), 1 trephine (small
crown), 1 bone forceps (Liston's long, sharp, spring handle), 1 bone
forceps (broad edged, slightly carved, spring handle), 1 bone forceps
(gnawing, spring handle), 1 bone forceps (sequestrum, spring handle), 1
artery forceps, 1 artery needle, 1 artery needle key, 12 surgeon's
needles, 1 tourniquet screw with pad, 1 tenaculum, 1 scissors,
1 chisel, 1 gouge, 1 mallet, 4 drills (with one handle), 2 retractors, 1
raspatory, 1 elevator, 1 brush, 12 yards suture wire (iron), ¼ oz.
ligature silk. 1/8 oz. wax, 1 mahogany case (brass bound, slide catch),
1 leather pouch.
(2) The Minor Operating
Case contained: 1 amputating knife, 3 scalpels, 2
bistouries, 1 hernia knife, 1 finger knife, 1 artery forceps, 1 ball
forceps, 1 gullet forceps, 1 dressing forceps, 1 dissection forceps,
1 artery needle, 1 artery needle key, 12 surgeon's needles, 1
tenaculum, 2 scissors, 1 trocar and canula. 1 Belloc's canula, 1 bullet
probe, 1 director, 1 cutting pliers (small), 6 steel bougies
(silvered, double curve, Nos. 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, 7 and 8, 9 and
10, 11 and 12), 3 silver catheters (Nos. 3, 6, and 9), 6 gum-elastic
catheters (Nos. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11), 24 suture pins (silvered), 6
yards suture wire (iron), ¼ oz. ligature silk, 1/8 oz. wax, 1 mahogany
case (brass bound, slide catch), 1 leather pouch.
(3) The Pocket Case contained: 1 scalpel, 3 bistouries, 1 tenotome, 1 gum lancet, 2 thumb lancets, 1 razor (small), 1 artery
forceps, 1 dressing forceps, 1 artery needle, 6 surgeon's needles, 1
exploring needle, 1 tenaculum, 1 scissors, 1 director, 3
probes, 1 caustic holder, 1 silver catheter (compound), 6 yards suture
wire (iron), ¼ oz. ligature silk, 1/8 oz. wax, 1 Russia leather case.
(4) The Field Case contained: 2 amputating knives (one long,
one medium), 2 catlings (one long, one medium), 3 scalpels, 2
bistouries, 1 hernia knife, 1 finger knife, 1 capital saw (long, bow,
two blades), 1 metacarpal saw, 1 Hey's saw, 1 trephine (conical), I bone
forceps (broad edged, slightly curved, spring handle), 1 bone
forceps (sequestrum, spring handle), 1 artery forceps, 1 ball
forceps, 1 dressing forceps, 1 dissection forceps, 1 artery needle, 1
artery needle key, 12 surgeon's needles, I tourniquet screw with pad, 1
tenaculum, 2 scissors, 2 retractors, 1 trocar and canula, 1 raspatory, 1
elevator, 1 brush, 1 bullet probe, 1 director, 6 steel bougies,
silvered, double curve (Nos. 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, 7 and 8, 9 and
10, 11 and 12), 3 silver catheters (Nos. 3, 6, and 9), 6 gum-elastic
catheters (Nos. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11), 12 yards suture wire (iron), ¼ oz.
ligature silk, ½ oz. wax, 1 mahogany case (brass bound, slide catch), 1
leather pinch; pocket case the same as allowed to staff surgeons.
(5)
The Pocket Case contained: 1 scalpel, 3 bistouries, 1 tenotome, 1 gum lancet, 2 thumb lancets, 1 razor (small), 1 artery
forceps, 1 dressing forceps, 1 artery needle, 6 surgeon's needles, 1
exploring needle, 1 tenaculum, 1 scissors, 1 director, 3
probes, 1 caustic holder, 1 silver catheter (compound), 6 yards suture
wire (iron), ¼ oz. ligature silk, 1/8 oz. wax, 1 Russia leather case.
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