Brace and bit cranial trephine, Germany, 1701-1800

Brace and bit cranial trephine

The instrument was used in trephination, the drilling of a hole through the skull bone. The blade creates a circular hole when the brace is turned, much like a standard carpenter’s brace and bit drill. The ornate decoration is typical of 1700s design and unfortunately such features provided a good environment in which germs could thrive. The inscription reads “Eberle”, a surgical instrument maker working in Germany at this time.