Foreign body, boot button removed from a child's nose, by Dr. Spiers, 1906

On 5 July 1906, a Dr Spiers removed this button – of a type used for lacing up leather boots – from a child’s nose. Young children are notoriously curious and some will attempt to eat or place up their nose almost anything, including pins, coins, buttons, mud and small toy parts. If not ejected naturally, the item may have to be removed surgically.

Dr Spiers donated the button in 1956, and it is one of a number of ‘surgically removed objects’ which are held in the medical collections.