Spencer Wells-type forceps
16 pairs of Spencer Wells type Artery forceps, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905 pattern but for use during the First World War, 1914-1918.
Field surgical pannier set, complete, for use by British armed forces. The contents follow the 1905 pattern but this example was provided for use during the First World War, 1914-1918.
This large medical and surgical instrument set provided a wide range of equipment that may be needed by a frontline medical unit attached to the army. Equipment is supplied to sterilise the instruments before surgery, anaesthetise patients, perform amputations and trephinations, and includes instruments to open up the body and stitch up wounds. The kit also contains a saline infusion apparatus. Saline is used to wash wounds, to dilute drugs and also as a substitute for blood plasma. In the foreground in the blue lined case is an aspirator used to remove liquids and gases from the body.
The instruments were made by at least eight different surgical and medical instrument makers and the chemicals were made by Burroughs, Wellcome & Co. The kit would have been used in British Army field hospitals near the front line. Although the defined list of contents for the pannier pre-dates the First World War by nearly a decade, it almost certainly saw use during that conflict.
16 pairs of Spencer Wells type Artery forceps, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905 pattern but for use during the First World War, 1914-1918.
Curved scissors, heavy duty, by Arnold and Sons, London, 1905
Curved scissors, heavy duty, by Arnold and Sons, London, 1905
Stevenson type bullet forceps, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Key type hernia director, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Liston type amputation knife, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Syme's ankle joint resection knife, by Mayer and meltzer, London, 1905
Scalpel, by Mayer and meltzer, London, 1905
Scalpel, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Bistoury, curved, fine point, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Bistoury, curved, fine point, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Bistoury, straight, poke end, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Bistoury, curved, probe end, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Hernia knife, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Bistoury, straight, fine point, by Arnold and Sons, London, 1905
Scalpel with raspatory (trepanning scalpel), by mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Scalpel, by Arnold and Sons, London
Scalpel, by J.H. Montague, London
Scalpel, point broken off, by Mayer Meltzer, London, 1905
Brook type terminal eye suture needle, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Wakeley type fenestrated artery forceps, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Horsley skull elevator, with fulcrum, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Director with scoop, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Dissecting forceps, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Pearse's bladder trocar, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Silver cannula, for use with Pearse's bladder trocar, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Catheter for use with Pearse's bladder trocar, no maker's name, silvered
Trephine, no maker's name (no handle) (to fit with part 46 handle)
Straight trocar, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Cannula, silver, for use with straight trocar (part 29), by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Director with ear scoop, silvered, Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Two Canny Ryall retractors, by Mayer and Meltzer, London 1905
Canny Ryall, retractor, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Canny Ryall retractor, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Packet of three straight intestinal needles, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Packet of 12 Hagedorn needles, straight and curved, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Packet of six half curved needles, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Lank of ligature silk
Silver tracheotomy tube, dilating, Fuller's, with cannula, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Silver tracheotomy tube, dilating, Fuller's, with cannula, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Amputation saw, by Arnold and Sons, London, 1905
Fergusson saw, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Ballance's double scoop, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Liston bone forceps, straight, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Universal needleholder, with spring and catch, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Trephine, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Fergusson lion bone-holding forceps, Medical Supply, London
Pin-cutting forceps, Medical Supply, London
Dressing forceps, British
Metal catheter, with stylet, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Silver catheter, with stylet size 3, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Silver catheter, with stylet, size 5, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Sponge probang, by Mayer and Meltzer, London, 1905
Probe, silver, with eye
Probe, silver (?)
Probe, silver (?)
Gum elastic catheter, perished, plastic top
Gum elastic catheter, perished, plastic top
Gum elastic catheter, perished, plastic top
Gum elastic catheter, perished, plastic top
Tourniquet with screw adjustment, by Medical Supply, London, part of the field surgical pannier set, 1905 pattern, for use by British armed forces during the First World War, 1914-1918.
Applying a tourniquet to a wounded arm or leg to control bleeding is a key aspect of emergency treatment. But despite centuries of battlefield use, their use during the First World War was fiercely contested. After the initial application, long delays before there was further medical attention, including the removal of the tourniquet, could starve damaged limbs of blood, leading to unnecessary amputations and even death.
Two Samway's tourniquets, by Maw, London, 1905
Two single eye shades, flesh coloured outride, green in, with ribbon
Three double eye shades, flesh coloured coutride, green in, two with ribbon
Clear glass eye bath, pedestal foot
Blue glass eye bath, pedestal foot
Clear glass eye bath, pedestal foot
Two nail brushes, wood and bristle
Tin tray, rectangular
Tin tray, rectangular, with Mayer and Meltzer label
Syringe, part of Potain aspirator, by Arnold and Sons, West Smithfield, London, 1905 (with parts 72-80)
Tube, part of Potain's aspirator, by Arnold and Sons, London, 1905, (see part 71)
Stopper, with taps, part of Potain's aspirator, by Arnold and Sons, London, 1905 (see part 71)
Tap, part of Potain's aspirator, by Arnold and Sons, London, 1905 (see part 71)
Trocar and cannula, part of Potain's aspirator, by Arnold and Sons, London, 1905 (see part 71)
Trocar, part of Potain's aspirator, by Arnold and Sons, London, 1905 (see part 71)
Cannula and blunt pilot, part of Potain's aspirator, by Arnold and Sons, London, 1905 ( see part 71)
Cannula and blunt pilot, part of Potain's aspirator, by Arnold and Sons, London, 1905 ( see part 71)
Cannula and blunt pilot, part of Potain's aspirator, by Arnold and Sons, London, 1905 ( see part 71)
Cannula and blunt pilot, part of Potain's aspirator, by Arnold and Sons, London, 1905 ( see part 71)
Fergusson's lion forceps, by Arnold and Sons, London, 1905 (in canvas roll with part 82)
Hoffmann's gouge forceps, by Arnold and Sons, London, 1905 (in canvas roll with part 81)
Sterilizer for instruments, legs fold up, spirit burner, by Arnold and Sons, London, 1905
Stethoscope, metal tubing, can be disassembled, by Maw, London, 1905
Jaques stomach tube, rubber, by Maw, London
Rubber tubing, three perished pieces
Bottle of tablets of potassium permanganate, by Burroughs Wellcome and Co., London
Blue poison bottle of mercuric chloride (corrosive sublimate) by Burroughs Wellcome and Co., London
Glass bottle of brown liquid, label illegible except for word `Poison', ground glass stopper
Glass bottle of carbolic acid crystals, ground glass stopper, by Burgoyne, Burbidges and Co., Coleman Street, London
Four Sealed glass tubes containing 2oz chloroform, each in cardboard box, by Burgoyne, Burbidges and Co., Coleman Street, London
Three Sealed glass tubes, containing 2oz chloroform, each in cardboard box, by Duncan, Flockhart and Co. Edinburgh and London
Seventeen empty glass bottles of chloroform, cork stopper, each in carboard box, by Duncan, Flockhart and Co., Edinburgh and London
6 black tin boxes containing sealed glass tubes of sterile catgut, originally twelve per box by S. Maw Son and Sons, London
6 white tin boxes containing sealed glass tubes of sterile silk, originally twelve per box, by S. Maw Son and Sons, London
Can for methylated spirit, for use with sterilizer, by Arnold and Sons, 123 Giltspur Street, 31 West Smithfield, London, England.
Padlock and key, by Willen
Two Vuleanite dredgers containing iodoform powder, cylindrical
Two empty glass dripper bottles for chloroform, each in cardboard box
Saline infusion apparatus, in metal box