American Civil War Medical & Surgical Antiques

(A Private Collection - Research and Identification Project)

Civil War Era Surgical Sets, Surgeon's Swords & Images

Civil War Surgeon Education & Civil War Medicine Text-books

Established 1995      .   .   .     Dr. Michael Echols

As seen in: Military Images Magazine, American's Civil War Magazine, Warman's Civil War Collectibles, Antique Week, Northeast Antiques, Civil War Army Swords, Civil War Times Illustrated, various TV programs, Antiques & Collecting publications

 

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Civil War Military Surgery Sets or Medical Kits

  U. S. Army Hospital Department   -   U. S. Army Medical Department

Display Page Five (1860 to 1865 )

Dr. Echols Collection

Pre- & Post- Civil War: Display 1  |  Display 2  |  Display 3

Civil War:  Display 4  |  Display 5  |  Display 6  |  Display 7

Note: Any Civil War medicine or surgical set in existence prior to or during the Civil War 'could' have been used during the War, but it is more likely only the Union Army supplied surgery sets were used in the field by Union Army surgeons after the early months of the War.  The U. S. Army Hospital Department sets were made by American makers, like Tiemann, Hernstein, Kolbe', and Gemrig, expressly for use 'during' the War by Union Army surgeons.   U. S. Army Medical Department sets could have existed before, during, or after the Civil War and were made expressly for the  Union Army.   Other existing sets 'could' have been used by 'contract'  or Army surgeons on both sides during the War.  Contract surgeons and State Volunteer Militia surgeons, typically brought their own instruments for use during the early part of the War due to a lack of instruments on both sides early in the War.  As the War progressed, contract surgeons rarely did any 'surgery' since they were relegated to the rear area hospitals on a temporary basis to do follow-up treatment such as changing bandages and to treat disease related problems, which did not include surgery.  Amputations and other major surgery was done by Army qualified surgeons, not the contract physicians. (Points taken from: Dr. Jay Bollet's book on Civil War medicine and surgery)  Dr. Michael Echols.

 

Article on sources of Civil War military surgical sets

 

Without serious documentation, the surgical sets owned by contract surgeons are very difficult to prove and attribute as being 'Civil War' since the sets may have been in existence for years prior to the War. 

Be sure to read this short article on: The Truth about Civil War Surgeons by Dr. Jay Bollet

Additional information from the National Archives regarding 'contract' physicians

How to evaluate and buy a Civil War surgical set

Surgery Set Evaluations

Tiemann catalogue of Civil War instruments

Gemrig catalog of Civil War instruments

(All sets on this site are original, contain the correct instruments, and all instruments in a given set are by the same maker.  These are not 'put-together' sets and the sets do not contain substitution instruments.  If incorrect instruments were included in the set when purchased for this collection, then the incorrect instruments were removed.)

 

5.1

c. 1865, Large staff surgeon's Civil War surgery set, marked 'U.S. Army Hosp. Dept', by H. Hernstein, N.Y.  This three tier hospital surgery set is a special issue for bone surgery used to deal with the trauma of war.   Mint condition and 100% complete.  A rare, rare and unique find.

See additional details and EXPANDED photos of this set

Hernstein, N.Y., Civil War, U.S.Army Hosp. Dept. three tier surgical operating set, 1865

5.2

c. 1860-64, A large, Civil War Hospital issue, 'U. S. Army Hospital Dept.' marked surgical set by Kolbe' of Philadelphia.  This four tier set was a special bone surgery collection of instruments used to deal with the trauma of war.

See additional details and EXPANDED photos of this set

 

mvc-627s.jpg (37828 bytes)

5.3

c. 1863 Civil War, U. S. Army Hospital Department issue, field surgery set by Geo. Tiemann, N.Y.  This is the type of set which would have been issued to a field surgeon.

See additional details, EXPANDED photos, and discussion of this set

 

Geo. Tiemann, N.Y., Civil War three tier field surgery set, U.S.Army Hosp. Dept., c. 1863c. 1
5.4

c.1860's Civil War military field amputation set by Hernstein, New York, N.Y.; Hernstein provided surgical instruments during the Civil War.  This set is Civil War issue with the forceps marked U.S.A. Hosp. Dep't. and bilateral military style latches.

See additional details and EXPANDED photos of this set

 

mvc-883s.jpg (45045 bytes)

5.5

c. 1861-1865 Hernstein & Son, New York City, U.S. Army Hospital Dept. marked field surgery set.

See additional details and EXPANDED photos of this set

 

Hernstein & Son, N.Y., U.S.A. Hospital Dept., Civil War three tier, field surgery set, c. 1861-65
5.6

c. 1863 surgical set by Wade and Ford, New York City, which belonged  to a documented Civil War Federal Naval Surgeon.  The case is engraved with his name and the 1863 date of its purchase.  This is the type of personal set a surgeon could have brought to war.

See additional details and EXPANDED photos of this set

 

mvc-333s.jpg (40543 bytes)
5.8

c. 1862 military issued surgical and dental set by Wade and Ford, N.Y. City, which was in the possession of a surgeon who was first a steward on a Federal Naval ship during the Civil War and then went to medical college during the War.

See additional details and EXPANDED photos of this set

 

Wade & Ford, N.Y., Civil War Military surgical and dental set, c. 1862

 

Pre- & Post- Civil War: Display 1  |  Display 2  |  Display 3

Civil War:  Display 4  |  Display 5  |  Display 6  |  Display 7

 

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Medical College Index - Lecture Cards  |  Civil War Medical Book Author-Title Index  |  Medical Collection Liquidations

 

Medical Collections          

Direct links to all medical & Civil War collections on this site

American Surgical Sets:        Pre-1861:  1 | 2    -    Civil War:  4 | 5 | 6 | 7     -    Post-1865:  3 

Medical Text-Books:

1 | 1a | 2 | 2a | 3 | 3a | 4 | 4a | 5 | 5a | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9a | 10 | 11 | 12

Medical Lecture Cards:

1 | 2 | 34 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20

Surgeon CDV Images:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Medical Staff Swords:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17

Hosp Dept Bottles & Tins:

1 | 2 | 3 |

 

Currently Seeking to Purchase for this Collection

Partial or Incomplete surgical sets or instruments by:  Snowden, Tiemann, Gemrig, Kolbe', Hernstein

 Any medical instrument or book marked:   U.S.A. / Hosp. Dep't.  or  U.S.A. / Med. Department

Medical Antiques Wanted List                             Contact Dr. Michael Echols

American Civil War Medical & Surgical Antiques

This site is an active on-going collection and research project.  Additions are actively being sought.  Information and evaluations on pre-1865 material are gladly provided to individuals, universities, authors, archivists, museums, libraries, auction houses, antique dealers, and researchers. 

Students and teachers are welcome to use the content on this educational site for projects without permission.  All others please request permission before publication.  Material produced by Dr. Echols is copyrighted and all rights are reserved.  Permission is gladly given, but please ask.

All content 'by Dr. Echols' and all original photography on this Web Site is copyrighted 1995 - 2010 and may not be used on any other web site or in print without the expressed e-mail permission from Dr. Echols:  Contact   All rights reserved.  Please note, information on this site may not be normally referenced as this is an active research project and content may not yet be properly cited for publication. 

("Braceface" is a term kids apply to other kids who wear braces.  Dr. Echols is a retired orthodontist)

 

Last update: Thursday, March 11, 2010