Civil War Recommended Surgical Sets

Edited from the medical text book Handbook of Surgical Operations, U. S. A. Medical Department, 1863, (in this collection)  written during the Civil War by Stephen Smith, M.D.:

 

SURGERY SETS:

 

The General Case (Note: these are not the military specifications used later in the War and provided by the Medical Dept.)

 

This case contains a variety of instruments sufficient for any emergency in practice. A well appointed case should have instruments for amputating; for trephining; for hernia; for lithotomy, etc., etc. Various general cases are now in use,

manufactured by instrument makers according to the plans of different surgeons.
 

Contents of Dr. James R. Wood's General Operating Case (Fig, 2).—One long amputating knife; one catling; one circular knife; one large amputating saw; one amputating and trephining scalpel; one metacarpal saw; one pair fine bone forceps; one tourniquet; one pair trephines; one Hey's skull saw; one elevator; one brush; two minor operating scalpels; one blunt and one sharp bistoury; one straight scissors; one tenaculnm; one aneurism needle: one artery forceps; two couching needles, straight and curved; one Beer's bone knife; one bullet forceps; one strabismus hook; one curved eye forceps; one pair eye scissors; one steel director; one pair silver probes; two steel sounds, assorted; two silver catheters; two English gum elastic bougies; silver wire, needles, and ligatures. Dimensions of case, fifteen and three-quarter inches long, six inches wide, three inches deep.
 

Contents of the Compact Case of Dr. Willard Parker of New York.—One capital saw; one metacarpal saw; one amputating knife; one catling, handle to change; one small amputating knife; one bone forceps; one spring catch artery

forceps; one artery forceps; one large artery forceps; one tenaculum; one tourniquet; one trephine; one Key's saw; one elevator; one brush; three scalpels; one curved bistoury, sharp; one curved bistoury, probe; one Cooper's bistoury; one scissors; one polypus forceps; one pessary forceps; one grooved director; two silver probes; one eye needle; one strabismus hook; one Beer's knife; one double tenotomy knife; one hydrocele trocar; one long curved trocar; one exploring trocar; one set aneurism needles, Dr. Mott's; two retractors; one lithotomy forceps; one grooved staff; two steel sounds; one probe-pointed lithotomy knife; two silver male catheters. Dimensions of case, twelve Inches long, six inches wide, three and a half inches deep.
 

Contents of Field Case of Dr. Frank E. Hamilton, of New York:

One long amputating knife; one amputating knife; one catling ; two small amputating knives; one metacarpal saw; one large saw ; one bone forceps; one tenaculum ; one snort bistoury, sharp ; one pair slide artery-forceps ; one pair bull-dog artery forceps; one pair large scissors; one pair small scissors ; one pair dressing forceps; one long silver bullet probe; one whalebone bullet probe; one small silver probe; two doz. serreflues; two needles; one tourniquet, screw; one tourniquet, field ; one director; one conical trephine; one necrosis trephine; one elevator; one Hey's saw; one brush; three bullet forceps ; two retractors; one needle forceps; one plain aneurism needle; 0ne set Dr. Mott's needles; silk and silver wire. Dimensions, seventeen inches long, nine Inches wide, and two and a half Inches deep.

 

 

c. 1863 surgical set by Wade and Ford, New York City, which belonged  to a documented Civil War Federal Naval Surgeon.  The case is engraved with his name and the 1863 date of its purchase.  This is the type of personal set a surgeon could have brought to war and was specified as 'Dr. Wood's Cased' by Dr. Stephen Smith. See additional details and EXPANDED photos of this set

 

The regimental surgeon in the U. S. Army is provided with a general operating case, in addition to special cases for amputation, trephining, and exsection, containing the following instruments:

 

One small amputating knife; one small catling; three bistouries; one hernia knife; three scalpels; one cataract knife; one cataract needle; one tenaculum; one double hook; six steel bougies, silver, double curve, Nos. 1 and 2, 8 and 4,5 and 6, 7 and 8, 9 and 10,11,12; six wax bougies, Nos. 2, 4, 6,8,10; three silver catheters, Nos. 8,6,9; six gum elastic catheters, Nos. 1, 8, 5, 7, 9,11; Two mahogany cases, brass bound; one gutta percha pouch; one metacarpal saw; one trocar; one ball forceps; one gullet forceps; one artery forceps ; one dressing forceps; two scissors, straight and curved; one artery needle, with four points; twelve surgeon's needles; one tourniquet.

 

The surgeon in the U. S. Navy is provided with two cases, as follows:

 

CASE, No. 1.—Fixed Contents,—Ltd. Plated dilators, six, and Nos. from 1 to 12, graduated; silver catheters, two, Nos. 4 and 6.

 

Upper Compartment.—Stomach- pump and self-Injecting apparatus.

 

Lower Compartment (Upper Tray).—One probang; trocars, curved, one; trocars, straight, one; ear and hydrocele syringe, one; bullet forceps, one; hone, one. Minor Surgery Tray, containing—Scalpels, four; bistoury, sharp-pointed, one; bistoury, blunt-poInted, one; aneurism needle, one; artery forceps, one; tenaculum, one; scissors, one; tongue depressor,one; Lower Tray.—Amputating set, consisting of.—Two amputating knives; one catling; one metacarpal saw; one tenaculum; one bone forceps; six needles; one scalpel; one artery forceps; one tourniquet; one capital saw. Trephining.—Two trephines; one elevator; one brush; one Key's saw.

 

CASE No. 2.—Amputating.—Two amputating knives; one catling; capital saw; one metacarpal; one tenaculum; six needles; one scalpel; one artery forceps; one bone forceps; one tourniquet Trephining.—One trephine; one Hoy's saw; one elevator; one brush. Dental,—Two forceps; one key, with three claws, assorted; one gum lancet.

 

Dr. Henry S. Hewitt, brigade surgeon, U. S. Army, has devised a " brigade case," containing the following assortment of instruments:

 

Four amputating knives; two amputating scalpels; one amputating tenaoulnro ; one capital saw; one finger saw; two spiral tourniquets; two trephines; one Hey's saw; one elevator; one Liston's straight bone forceps; one Isaac's bayonet forceps; two Luer's bone gnawing forceps; one Strohmeyer's stump-holding forceps; two tooth forceps; two Luer'a artery forceps; one torsion forceps; one thumb forceps; one mouse-tooth forceps : one Strohmeyer's saw; one saw a dos mobile: one saw guard; one curved rectum trocar; one straight trocar; one partitioned catheter; five silver catheters, 1. 3, 5,7, 9; one silver catheter for prostate, 12; one steel staff grooved ; twelve English flexible catheters; one Mom's artery needle; one right Deschamps' artery needle; one left Deschamps' artery needle; one sharp-pointed straight bistoury; one probe-pointed straight bistoury; one probe-pointed curved bistoury: one sharp-pointed curved bistoury; one hernia bistoury; four scalpels; one tenaculum; two double hooks, sharp; two double hooks, blunt; two retractors; one pair of Musseux's forceps; one pair of polypus forceps; one pair of dressing forceps; one pair of heavy straight scissors; one pair of ordinary straight scissors: one pair of curved scissors; one silver director; one steel director; one Schleswig bullet forceps; one Hamilton's bullet forceps; two double trachea tubes; one Luer's articulated esophagus tube; one wire suture needle; two eye needles; one vaccinating scarificator; one hard rubber four-ounce syringe; silver probes, wire, and suture silk. Dimensions— length, eighteen inches; breadth, thirteen and three quarter Inches; depth, two and a half inches; weight, nineteen and three-quarter pounds, and with containing leather valise, thirty pounds. It is intended that the exterior case shall be made five inches ni depth, the lid to contain two rollers two and a half inches wide by seven yards long, placed on end, and lint, cerate, oil, chloroform, and sponges.

 

Circular No. 7. Surgeon General's Office,  ( May 7, 1863)
ALLOWANCE OF SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS FOR MEDICAL OFFICERS,  FOR STAFF SURGEONS AND ASSISTANT SURGEONS.

FOR CAPITAL OPERATIONS

Two Amputating Knives, one long, one medium.
Two Catlings, one long, one medium.
Four Scalpels.
One Cartilage Knife.
One Capital Saw, long, bow, two blades.
One Metacarpal Saw.
One Chain Saw.
One Hey's Saw.
One Trephine, conical.
One Trephine, small crown.
One Bone Forceps, Liston's long, sharp, spring handle.
One Bone Forceps, broad-edged, slightly curved, spring handle.
One Bone Forceps, gnawing, spring handle.
One Bone Forceps, sequestrum, spring handle.
One Artery Forceps.
One Artery Needle.
One Artery Needle Key.
Twelve Surgeon's Needles.
One Tourniquet Screw, with pad.
One Tenaculeum.
One Scissors.
One Chisel.
One Gouge.
One Mallet.
Four Drills, (with one handle.)
Two Retractors.
One Raspatory.
One Elevator.
One Brush.
Twelve yards Suture Wire, iron.
One ounce Ligature Silk.
One ounce Wax.
One Mahogany Case, brass bound, slide catch.
One Leather Pouch.

FOR MINOR OPERATIONS.

One Amputating Knife.
Three Scalpels.
Two Bistouries.
One Hernia Knife.
One Finger Knife.
One Artery Forceps,
One Bail Forceps.
One Gullet, Forceps.
One Dressing Forceps.
One Dissection Forceps.
One Artery Needle.
One Artery Needle Key.
Twelve Surgeon's Needles.
One Tenaculum.
Two Scissors.
One Trocar and Canula.
One Belloc's Canula.
One Bullet Probe.
One Director.
One Cutting Pliers, small.
Six Steel Bougies, silvered, double curve,
Nos. 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, 7 and 8, 9 and 10, 11 and 12.
Three silver Catheters, Nos. 3, 6, and 9.
Six Gum-elastic Catheters, Nos. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11.
Twenty-four Suture Pins, silvered.
Six yards Suture Wire, iron.
One ounce ligature Silk. ,
One ounce Wax.
One Mahogany Case, brass-bound, slide catch.
One Leather Pouch.

FOR THE POCKET CASE

One Scalpel.
Three Bistouries.
One Tenotome.
One Gum Lancet.
IVo Thumb Lancets.
One Razor, small.
One Artery Forceps.
One Dressing Forceps.
One Artery Needle.
Six Surgeon's Needles.
One Exploring Needle.
One Tenaculeum.
One Scissors.
One Director.
Three Probes.
One Caustic Holder.
One Silver Catheter, compound.
Six yards Suture Wire, iron.
One ounce Ligature Silk.
One ounce Wax.
One Russia Leather Case.

One Leather Trunk for the set.

FOR REGIMENTAL SURGEONS AND ASSISTANT SURGEONS.

FOR THE FIELD CASE.

Two Amputating Knives, one long, one medium.
Two Catlins, one long, one medium.
Three Scalpels.
Two Bistouries.
One Hernia Knife.
One Finger Knife
One Capital Saw, long, bow, two blades.
One Metacarpal Saw.
One Key's Saw.
One Trephine, conical.
One Bone Forceps, broad-edged, slightly curved, spring handle.
One Bone Forceps, sequestrum, spring handle.
One Artery Forceps.
One Ball Forceps.
One Dressing Forceps.
One Dissection Forceps.
One Artery Needle.
One Artery Needle Key.
Twelve Surgeon's Needles.
 

Pocket Case, the same as

One Tourniquet, screw, with pad.
One Tenaculeum.
Two Scissors.
Two Retractors.
One Trocar and Canula.
One Raspatory.
One Elevator.
One Brush.
One Bullet Probe.
One Director.
Six Steel Bougies, silvered, double curve,
Nos. 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, 7 and 8, 9 and 10, 11 and 12.
Three Silver Catheters, Nos. 3, 6, 9.
Six Gum-elastic Catheters, Nos. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11.
Twelve yards Suture Wire, iron.
One ounce Ligature Silk.
One ounce Wax.
One Mahogany Case, brass bound, slide catch.
One Leather Pouch.

Allowed to Staff Surgeons

CONTENTS OF THE SETS OF INSTRUMENTS AND APPLIANCES REFERRED TO
IN THE STANDARD SUPPLY TABLE.

1. The dissecting case.

One Cartilage Knife.
Three Scalpels.
One Tenaculeum.
One Dissection Forceps.
One Chain and Hooks.
Two Needles and Thread.
One Enterotome.
One Scissors.
One Blowpipe.
One Chisel.
Mahogany Box.

2. The obstetrical case.

One Simpson's Forceps.
One Vectis or Lever.
One Crochet and Blunt Hook.
One Perforator.
Russia Leather Case.

3. The pocket case for hospitals.

One sharp-pointed Bistoury.
One probe-pointed Bistoury.
One Scalpel.
One Tenaculeum.
One Abscess Lancet.
One Compound Catheter.
One Straight Scissors.
One Angular Scissors.
One Dressing Forceps.
One Artery Forceps.
One Spatula.
One Director.
Two Probes.
Six Needles.
Ligature Silk and Wax.
Russia Leather Case.

4. The teeth extracting case.

One Key with three Hooks.
Two Forceps for Molars.
One Forceps for Bicuspids.
One Forceps for Incisors.
One Gum Lancet.
One Stump Elevator.
Russia Leather Case.
 

Civil War Surgical Sets in this collection:  Display 4  |  Display 5  |  Display 6  |  Display 7