Automatic Lancet, cased, Europe, 1801-1851

Automatic Lancet, cased, Europe, 1801-1851 Automatic Lancet, cased, Europe, 1801-1851 Automatic Lancet, cased, Europe, 1801-1851 Automatic Lancet, cased, Europe, 1801-1851 Automatic Lancet, cased, Europe, 1801-1851 Spring fleam, cased. Black perspex back background.

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Spring fleam, cased. Black perspex back background.
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Spring fleam, cased or automatic lancet

Lancets were used in bloodletting, a practice once carried out to treat a wide range of diseases and medical conditions. This type of lancet works by the blade being swiftly released to cut into a vein by means of an automatic spring mechanism. Much depended on the skill and experience of the operator in determining the depth of the cut.

The main body of the lancet is made of brass, but the double-sided blade is made of a stronger, finer metal. It is likely that this lancet would have been used on a number of patients without any effective form of sterilisation.

Details

Category:
Therapeutics
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A116036
Materials:
body, brass, body, steel, blade, steel, case, leather and case, brass
Measurements:
overall: 25 mm x 70 mm x 35 mm, .05kg
type:
automatic lancet
credit:
Moos, S.