Down brothers and Mayer Phelps Ltd were well renowned medical instrument makers that specialised in ear, nose and throat surgery. They later became Downs Surgical Ltd. They had offices in London, Sheffield, Scotland, Canada, The United States of America, Australia and Ireland. Their London offices were at 3 and 4 St Thomas’ Street, Borough, London, S.E. This address was opposite Guy’s hospital, a useful position for a surgical instrument makers.

1890 – “A catalogue of Surgical Instruments and Appliances manufactured by Down Bros., Makers to Guy’s St. Thomas’, The Evelina, and other London and Provincial Hospitals and Infirmaries” was published. The catalogue includes a wide variety of medical instruments including amputation knives, eye needles, bone forceps and hypodermic syringes. This catalogue can be accessed through the Wellcome Collection website.

1979 – Downs Surgical Limited released a pamphlet documenting 100 years of progress from 1879 to 1979.