Amputation instrument set, London, England, 1831-1870

Amputation set, comprising saw, three large knives, one finger saw, three scalpels, one pair artery forceps, one tenaculum, one pair bone forceps, one tourniquet, one roll ligature silk, in mahogany case, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Carried in a mahogany chest, this set contains a range of instruments needed by a surgeon to carry out a limb amputation. It includes an amputation saw, four Liston knives, a finger saw, three scalpels, artery forceps, bone forceps, a tenaculum (a hook-like instrument to move arteries and blood vessels out of the way). Also, a tourniquet and silk ligatures to sew up and close wounds.

Liston knives are named after their inventor, Robert Liston (1794-1847), a Scottish surgeon renowned for his speed and skill in amputation. Liston performed the first operation in Britain under anaesthetic, taking just 25 seconds. The set was made by John Weiss, a leading surgical instrument maker based in London.