1861, H. Hernstein & Son,
U.S. Army Hospital Dept. field set
H. Hernstein & Son, of
New York, was located at 131 and Mercer 393 Broadway, New York city, N.Y.,
during the Civil War, they produced contract ordered surgical sets from this
address during the Civil War.
Hernstein was a contract maker for this type of field surgery sets from the start and
until the end of the War. The Hernstein & Son mark verifies the set to
have been made during the middle years of the War.
Hermann Hernstein surgical instruments
1843: 3
Chambers
1844: Elizabeth cor.
Hester
1845-48: 7 Hague
1850: no listing
1851-52: 68 Duane
1853-54: 81 Duane
1855-57: 81 Duane
and 393 Broadway
1858: 81 Duane, 131
Mercer, and 393 Broadway 1859-61: 131 Mercer and 393 Broadway (pre-War)
Hermann Hernstein & Son
(Hermann and Albert L. Hernstein) 1862-65: 131 Mercer and 393 Broadway
(Mid-War)
Hermann Hernstein & Son
& Co. 1865: 2 Liberty and
393 Broadway (Post War)
Hermann Hernstein & Co. 1866-67: 2 Liberty and 393 Broadway
Reference:
Edmonson
The early French
influenced design of the saw is from the 1860's. The handle
and style of the saw is after those by French maker Charriere (Edmonson,
page 90)
The ivory handled minor
surgery instruments are a carry over into the Civil War from the late1850's, but are not
typically seen in later sets during the war when most makers used the
cross-checked ebony handles.
The three layer (16 x 6 3/4 x 4 1/2
in.) mahogany case, purple lined case is
typical military issue with sliding latches and no key lock. There are no brass
screws as are seen on later military sets, but the corners pieces are there for re-enforcement as is normal for
military issue.
There are three levels of the purple velvet lined case: lid with removable
partition, removable tray, and the lower section for urological related
instruments.
This is a fine example of
a hardcore military-issued field Civil War surgical set for the U. S. Army
Hospital Department.
Click on photos
to enlarge
Engraved at the factory: 'United States Army
Hospital Department'
Military sliding latches,
'U. S. Army Hospital Department' engraved
The leather carrying case is in rough shape, but it's
rare to ever find one with a set
The Hernstein Eagle impression found on later dividers is not present
at this point
Above: All three levels of the set
Shown below are all
the contents
Buck's rectal bladder trocar with protective
cover and thread to hold the cover as a catheter
Heavy tissue or muscle retractors.
Tourniquet is clearly marked 'Hernstein &
Son'
Trephine for neurosurgical trepanning
Ivory instruments are marked both
'Hernstein' and 'Hernstein & Son'
Set of large amputation, catlins, and a
finger or metacarpal saw
"Hernstein & Son" markings on all the knives
and finger saw
Hollow catheters on the left and solid sounds
on the fight
Left: silk suture material and silver wire
for suturing, and on the right a chain saw
Shown below are the contents of the upper part of the
case under the partition
Sequestrium forceps
Tissue scissors
Bone brush
Bandage scissors Olive artery forceps
Bullet forceps
Elevator and rasp for trepanning
Capital set amputation saw
Hey saw for neurosurgery
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