Snowden &
Brother, Civil War Military Capital Surgical Set
Note: Capital sets with four
tiers are obviously larger than small three tier sets. Capital sets would have been
used in rear
areas or hospitals.
Snowden & Brother (George and
Henry) were one of the major suppliers to the U.S. Army before and during the
Civil War. This four tier capital set with military latches is from during
the later years of the War.
The marking 'Snowden & Brother.' at N. 5th, occurs only during and four years before
the War.
The brass cartouche appears
to have been reversed! It is not unusual to find a blank brass name plate
to have been reversed after the War to hide the ownership. Surgeon's or a
dealer may not have wanted anyone to know their set came from the Army and
turned the brass plate over. The
brass plate is wavy as seen on the backside of the casting and there are two brass pins in place as is the
Snowden field set on this site.
I have only seen this pinning on Snowden sets. I'm not willing to take a
chance on fracturing the wood case to get a peek at the other side of the brass
plate. More than likely this is a U.S. Army Medical Dept. issued set as it
is almost exactly like the
other Medical
Department set on this site.
Obviously the set is missing
a number of parts, but it is what it is. There is no question about it's
origins or intended use given the presence of the heavy bone cutting forceps,
bullet probe, bullet forceps, make sounds, and military latches.
Snowden & Bro. (George P. [1832-?] and Henry C. [1838-?] Snowden become
partners I July 1858; William Snowden [1840?]
becomes partner I January 1866; Henry C. retires in May,
1872
and sells interest to George) surgical instrument makers
1858-64: 15 N. 5th
1864-72: 23 S. 8th
(Edmonson)
A typical
Civil War military mahogany case
The un-engraved or reversed brass
place and Snowden & Brother maker label with the No. 15
North Fifth St. address
Above: the opened case with the
removable partition, upper and lower removable trays in place
Below: all four tiers of the case
All instruments in the set
A small delicate trocar with point cover and drain
Tenaculeum and two bistouries
One of the most surprising items found in this
set is a Physick's suture forceps. This forceps was used to
hold a needle firmly in a groove between the curved jaws of the
forceps. This is the first one I have ever found or seen in a Civil
War set and it is shown in the Snowden and Brother catalog dated to the
Civil War era.
A double ended bullet probe and silver wire suture material
Handle for a Brainard bone drill, (missing the four drill tips)
Pair of heavy retractors, artery or tissue forceps, and dressing or sequestrum forceps
(Left) Director for a knife and (Right) Mott's artery needle key (1/2 of
set of 2)
Set of heavy bone forceps
Set of urinary track sounds (left) and French gum catheters (right)
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Snowden & Brother's pre-War (1860) catalogue
shows they were importers of French gum catheters |
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Catlin (double sided) amputation knife, light bone saw blade
Hey saw, elevator - bone rasp, bone brush, cartilage knife, trephine
Heavy bladed cartilage knife and blued Galt style trephine crown
(Dating note: The presence of the Galt
style crown points to the later years of the War as this
type of trephine crown was not available in the earlier years)
Typical Civil War years blued
cast iron buckle, red & white woven strap and
unmarked brass frame tourniquet
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Snowden or Snowden &
Brother sets are wanted for this collection... complete or partial sets and
instruments
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