Surgical instrument set, Germany, 1917

Metal case of surgical instruments, for field use, 1917, German

This 68-piece instrument set was designed for performing emergency surgery at a field hospital or on the battlefield during the First World War. The instruments are nickel plated and would have been easy to sterilise between operations. They are stamped with the company mark of Jetter and Scheerer, then a major German instrument maker. Each instrument also has a number punched on it, probably to keep track of the objects and make it easier to order a replacement. Each of the four khaki rolls where the instruments are stored has outlines of each object stitched into them, so it is easier to find and replace instruments after use. The German printed inscription translates into English as “troop cutlery”, “cutlery” being another word for surgical instruments.