American Civil War Surgical AntiquesResearch and IdentificationCivil War Era Surgical Sets, Surgeon's Swords & ImagesCivil War Surgeon Education & Medical Textbooks
Established 1995 . Dr. Michael Echols
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A Resource for: Civil War Surgical Sets
Pre-1865 American Surgical Set Collection with Photos
Civil War Era Surgical Sets:1860 to 1865 Civil War Surgical Sets Page 1 Civil War Surgical Sets Page 2 Civil War Surgical Sets Page 3
Compare Pre- and Post-War to Civil War sets to determine if a set really is "Civil War"
Pre- Civil War Surgical Sets:
Early Surgical Sets: 1800-1840 Early Surgical Sets: 1840-1860
Post- Civil War Surgical Sets:
Later Surgical Sets: 1866-1888
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Over '60' Surgical Sets on Display
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If you have an early surgical set you suspect or know is 'Civil War' era and would like an evaluation of your set at NO CHARGE, please contact Dr. Echols
Samples of the Extensive Articles on: Surgical Sets, Identification, Makers, and the Military:
What you really need to know about Civil War surgery sets
Civil War surgery, sets, and surgeon related articles
List of surgical set makers for comparison 1820 to 1880
Surgical set identification and evaluation related articles
For additional articles on all surgical sets and instrument topics, see:
The heyday of American-made surgical instruments was from the 1830's to the 1870's and centered in the New York and Philadelphia areas. Prior to the 1830's and after 1900, most surgical instruments were made in England or Europe and imported to this country. This site centers on American-made Civil War era surgical sets made during or just prior to the Civil War era. There is information for identification of pre-1870, (pre-sterilization) American surgical sets and there is no charge for consultations, which are offered as a way to learn from antiques we do not have in this collection.
Collectors and historians will find methods for dating and identifying various instruments found in pre-1870 surgical sets. There are articles and exhibits to show variations in style and details of surgical instruments and surgical sets in the 1800's, especially those instruments used during the Civil War.
Surgical instrument sets were relatively simple during the early part of the 1800's because the 'surgeons' procedures were basic and only involved 'heroic' attempts to save a life. Surgery as we consider it today did not exist until the 1850's in centers of higher learning in cities like New York and Philadelphia. Instruments were more simple and less numerous in the sets. As we approach the Civil War era, surgical procedures become more sophisticated and the medical textbooks reflect this progress.
1870 is when sterilization began and cased sets changed drastically afterwards to allow for sterilization of the various parts of the instruments. After 1890, the handles of the instruments were no longer made of ivory, wood, or other porous materials that could not stand up to chemical and heat treatments, thus the trend to use all metal instruments after that point in America.
This collection and website, by Dr. Michael Echols, centers on the Civil War era prior to sterilization and is organized to help Civil War medical collectors, both new and experienced. Advice and information is offered in a non-threatening and friendly manner in hopes of furthering the distribution of our knowledge. We have nothing for sale and do not charge for evaluation information.
Evaluation of your
Civil War era surgical set
The Private Collections of
Dr. Michael Echols
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