Amputation instrument set, London, England, 1831-1870

Amputation set, comprising saw, three large knives Amputation set, comprising saw, three large knives Amputation set, comprising saw, three large knives

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Amputation set, comprising saw, three large knives
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Musuem

Amputation set, comprising saw, three large knives
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Amputation set, comprising saw, three large knives
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

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.

Parts

Amputation saw

Amputation saw

Amputation saw, steel blade, ebonite handle, by John Weiss, 62 Strand, London, England, 1831-1870.

Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt1
type:
amputation saws
Liston's amputation knife

Liston's amputation knife

Liston's amputation knife, steel blade, ebonite handle, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt2
type:
amputation knives
Liston's amputation knife

Liston's amputation knife

Liston's amputation knife, steel blade, ebonite handle, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt3
type:
amputation knives
Liston's amputation knife

Liston's amputation knife

Liston's amputation knife, steel blade, ebonite handle, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt4
type:
amputation knives
Finger saw

Finger saw

Finger saw, steel blade, ebonite handle, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt5
type:
finger saws
Liston's finger knife

Liston's finger knife

Liston's finger knife, steel blade, ebonite handle, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt6
type:
finger knives
Scalpel, steel blade

Scalpel, steel blade

Scalpel, steel blade, ebonite handle, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt7
type:
amputation scalpels
Scalpel, steel blade

Scalpel, steel blade

Scalpel, steel blade, ebonite handle, by Ferguson of London, 1822-1869

Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt8
type:
amputation scalpels
Fenestrated artery forceps

Fenestrated artery forceps

Fenestrated artery forceps, steel, by Ferguson of London, 1822-1869

Materials:
steel
Object Number:
A500502 Pt9
type:
artery forceps
Tenaculum, steel shaft

Tenaculum, steel shaft

Tenaculum, steel shaft, ebonite handle, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt10
type:
tenaculums
Roll of silk ligature on card strip

Roll of silk ligature on card strip

Roll of silk ligature on card strip

Materials:
silk and cord
Object Number:
A500502 Pt11
type:
sutures
Ferguson's bone forceps

Ferguson's bone forceps

Ferguson's bone forceps, screw-joint, steel, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Materials:
steel
Object Number:
A500502 Pt12
type:
bone forceps
Petit's screw tourniquet

Petit's screw tourniquet

Petit's screw tourniquet, brass, leather and canvas, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Materials:
brass , steel , leather and canvas
Object Number:
A500502 Pt13
type:
tourniquets