Civil
War issue U. S. Army Hospital Department set by Geo. Tiemann
This set is Civil War
issue. It was specified by the U. S. Army Hospital Department and is a production set by
Geo. Tiemann, N.Y. The 63 Chatham address on the maker label is
correct for a Civil War issue set.
63 Chatham
St., New-York, would date the manufacture of this set between 1861 to
1864. George Tiemann sets are wanted to buy. (Tiemann Catalog).
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Geo. Tiemann or Tiemann
& Co., N.Y., sets are wanted for this collection... complete or partial sets and
instruments
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George Tiemann cutler
1826-32: 35 Chatham Street
1833-55: 63 Chatham Street (manufacturer of scissors and surgical
instruments beginning in 1841)
George Tiemann & Co. (George Tiemann, Frederick A. Stohlmann, and Edward
Pfarre) surgical instruments
1855-63/64: 63 Chatham and 44 Eldridge
1863/64-71: 67 Chatham and 44 Eldridge
Reference:
Edmonson
The layout and
instruments would indicate use as a field set as opposed to
hospital use. Field sets are not as extensive as hospital sets and
would have been used for initial treatment of war wounds as well as for
treatment of day-to-day surgical problems.
There is an
extensive male urinary set of instruments, as well as neurosurgery, minor
surgery, amputation, rectal trocar, probes and removal instruments for
bullets. All
these instruments are common to field military sets, but it is rare to find
full 'sets' of the urinary instruments due to their delicate design.
The heavy
bone cutting instruments retain their dark bluing on the springs as well as
the 'case coloring' on the metal from having been baked in animal bone to prevent
rusting during manufacture, (a technique used in gun smithing which imparts
the distinctive color to the metal as seen in the photos below).
The set is
marked on the brass cartouche with "U. S. A Hosp. Dep't." , however none of the instruments are so marked, unlike
some other sets
in this collection from Tiemann and other makers. The rosewood case (17 x 7 1/4 x 3 3/4 in.) is
brass bound, with sliding military latches and brass re-enforcement bands.
There are no screws in the lid of the case. The interior is covered in
purple velvet.
The source of this set is
interesting. It was obtained by a dealer from a woman in Missouri, in
whose family it had resided since the Civil War. The set was stored on
a shelf in an old drug store for years and years and had not been touched or
'gone through' and stripped of usable instruments like so many other
sets found at shows or in the hands of multiple owners. A rare and
unique set to be sure.
Note the unusual small full-length
removable tray for bullet and bone forceps
Display of all instruments in the set
Amputation knives,
note style of ferrule
Upper: set of minor surgery knives;
Lower: metacarpel saw
Tiemann's Bullet Forceps: Fig. 1356
Tiemann's catalog
Mott's tissue retractor, marked Tiemann: Fig.
1554, Tiemann's catalog
Esmarch's Bulbous Artery Forceps,
Straight Operating Scissors
Eldridge's (Netalon's) Bullet Probe with porcelain
tip: Fig. 1350
Tiemann
Bullet probes: Top and bottom, Long silver bullet probes: Fig.
1354, Tiemann's catalog
The instrument
above is part of a Collins bullet extractor. The
internal rod with a screw tip is missing.
See article
on Collins extractor. The lower instrument is a scoop and
knife director.
Upper: Large (9 in.) bone forceps, Lower: Ferguson's
large sequestrum
forceps
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Mott's
aneurism suture set with removable tips
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Bone wax, brush, Galt's trephine,
elevator and rasp, Hey saw, dissecting hook |
Resection Chain saw, carrying needle, and
attachment insert on the chain
Various 'Tiemann' markings
Tiemann bow saw with extra blade and
marking
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Top: Winternitz's psychrophor (cooling
sound): Fig. 2925, Tiemann's catalog
Set of three Otis retention catheters:
Fig. 2899, Tiemann's catalog |
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Set of silver urinary staves
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Buck's Rectal Trocar: Fig. 1730 Tiemann's
catalog
Tiemann marked brass tourniquet with
pressure pad
Suture needles in chamois holder
See an article on
suturing and
suture needles
