William Ford and George
Wade joined forces to start an instrument business during 1861 as Wade and
Ford. The business was located in New York at 85 Fulton from 1860 -
1866. They worked with Dr. James R. Wood, a surgeon, on the design of
this type of surgical set. This information is from Edmonson's:
American Surgical
Instruments: an illustrated history:
Wade
& Ford (George Wade and William E Ford) 1860-66: 85 Fulton
(Edmonson notes that
'following the Civil War, Wade & Ford ceased to exist, page 82)
William E Ford & Co. (William E Ford and George Gilman)
1866-71: 85 Fulton
On display is a Civil War-date
general operating set as designed by James R. Wood, M.D. (1813-1882), in
conjunction with the firm Wade & Ford (1860-1866), New York. For a
discussion of this collaboration, see Edmonson, pp. 80-81. Also
see the diagram of
this type set as illustrated in the Civil
War Hand-book of Surgical Operations, 279 pages, 1862, by Stephen Smith
(1823-1922)
The brass cartouche on the lid is
engraved: J.H. Culver / 1863. Josiah Howell Culver, M.D.
(1837-1868), an 1860 graduate of the Medical University of the
City of New York, who was commissioned a United States Navy assistant surgeon
in March of 1863, and served in the Navy beyond the Civil War until 1867.
Dr. Culver may have received the set at the time of his commission in
1863. The source for this documentation is the List of Officers of the Navy of the
United States and the Marine Corp from 1775 to 1900.
Click on any
photo to enlarge
Set open with divider (left) in place and
removed (right)
Drawing from Smith's Civil War Surgery
manual
and a lecture ticket for James R. Wood, MD at Bellevue, 1864-65, who
recommended the lay-out of this set
Center tray removed to show eye-surgery
instruments below
Capital saw removed to show neuro-surgery
instruments below
Note the small cast brass prong frame and
hinged brass prongs
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