Amputation instrument set, London, England, 1831-1870

Made:
1831-1870 in London
maker:
Weiss, John
Amputation instrument set, London, England, 1831-1870 Amputation set, comprising saw, three large knives Amputation set, comprising saw, three large knives
Amputation instrument set, London, England, 1831-1870 Amputation set, comprising saw, three large knives Amputation set, comprising saw, three large knives

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

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

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

License

Science Museum Group
© 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
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.

Details

Category:
Surgery
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A500502
Materials:
case, mahogany, case, brass and other materials: velvet, ebony, silver, thread, unknown animal material, stainless steel, steel, woven textile, card, leather, silver plated brass
Measurements:
length 405 mm
width 136 mm
closed: height 67 mm
open to 90 degree: height 177 mm
type:
amputation instrument set

Parts

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

Amputation saw

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

Measurements:
length 350 mm
width 19 mm
height 101 mm
Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt1
type:
amputation saws
Liston's amputation knife, steel blade, ebonite handle, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Liston's amputation knife

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

Measurements:
length 357 mm
width 11 mm
height 23 mm
Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt2
type:
amputation knives
Liston's amputation knife, steel blade, ebonite handle, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Liston's amputation knife

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

Measurements:
length 337 mm
width 11 mm
height 22 mm
Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt3
type:
amputation knives
Liston's amputation knife, steel blade, ebonite handle, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Liston's amputation knife

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

Measurements:
length 309 mm
width 11 mm
height 23 mm
Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt4
type:
amputation knives
Finger saw, steel blade, ebonite handle, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Finger saw

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

Measurements:
length 201 mm
width 7 mm
height 16 mm
Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt5
type:
finger saws
Liston's finger knife, steel blade, ebonite handle, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Liston's finger knife

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

Measurements:
length 181 mm
width 5 mm
height 11 mm
Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt6
type:
finger knives
Scalpel, steel blade, ebonite handle, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Scalpel, steel blade

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

Measurements:
length 161 mm
width 5 mm
height 12 mm
Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt7
type:
amputation scalpels
Scalpel, steel blade, ebonite handle, by Ferguson of London, 1822-1869

Scalpel, steel blade

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

Measurements:
length 153 mm
width 5 mm
height 11 mm
Materials:
steel and ebonite
Object Number:
A500502 Pt8
type:
amputation scalpels
Fenestrated artery forceps, steel, by Ferguson of London, 1822-1869

Fenestrated artery forceps

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

Measurements:
length 116 mm
width 10 mm
height 9 mm
Materials:
steel
Object Number:
A500502 Pt9
type:
artery forceps
Tenaculum, steel shaft, ebonite handle, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Tenaculum, steel shaft

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

Measurements:
length 122 mm
width 5 mm
height 12 mm
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

Measurements:
length 57 mm
width 32 mm
Materials:
silk and cord
Object Number:
A500502 Pt11
type:
sutures
Ferguson's bone forceps, screw-joint, steel, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Ferguson's bone forceps

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

Measurements:
length 216 mm
width 40 mm
height 18 mm
Materials:
steel
Object Number:
A500502 Pt12
type:
bone forceps
Petit's screw tourniquet, brass, leather and canvas, by Weiss of London, mid 19th century

Petit's screw tourniquet

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

Measurements:
length 94 mm
length 52 mm
width 40 mm
Materials:
brass , steel , leather and canvas
Object Number:
A500502 Pt13
type:
tourniquets

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