Cupping Set, mid-19th Century

Made:
1831-1870 in London
maker:
Walters and Company
Cupping set, with scarificator, syringe, stopcock Cupping set, with scarificator, syringe, stopcock

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Cupping set, with scarificator, syringe, stopcock
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Cupping set, with scarificator, syringe, stopcock
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Cupping set, with scarificator, syringe, stopcock, and 3 of 4 cupping glasses, in case, by Walters and Co., London, mid 19th century

A number of instruments could be used for bloodletting, some of which are shown here. The scarificator, which was first developed in the 1600s, has twelve blades that cut into the skin when a trigger is released. The cupping glasses, of which three out of four are shown here, were used to draw blood from the skin. This was done after use of the scarificator and was known as wet cupping. In dry cupping, the vacuum produced as heated cups cool draws liquid from the tissues. The syringe could be attached to the individual cups to further encourage the flow of blood. A stopcock can also be seen. It fits between the syringe and the cupping glass to regulate blood flow. The set was manufactured by surgical instrument makers Walter and Co.

Details

Category:
Therapeutics
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A500504
Materials:
box, mahogany and box, velvet
type:
cupping set

Parts

Automatic scarificator

Automatic scarificator

Automatic scarificator with 2 lots of 6 blades each, for cupping set, by Walters and Co., London, mid-19th century.

Materials:
brass and steel
Object Number:
A500504 Pt1
type:
automatic scarificators
Syringe, from cupping set

Syringe, from cupping set

Syringe used to encourage blood flow, piston-action, for cupping set, by Walters and Co., London, mid-19th century.

Materials:
brass
Object Number:
A500504 Pt2
type:
syringes
Stopcock, from cupping set

Stopcock, from cupping set

Stopcock, to fit between syringe and cupping glass, for cupping set, by Walters and Co., London, mid-19th century.

Materials:
brass
Object Number:
A500504 Pt3
type:
stopcocks