Pre- & Post- Civil War: Display 1  |  Display 2  |  Display 3

Civil War: 

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Presentation Sets

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Indexed list of all Civil War surgical sets in this collection

Note: Any Civil War medicine or surgical set in existence prior to or during the Civil War 'could' have been used during the War, but it is more likely only the Union Army supplied surgery sets were used in the field by Union Army surgeons after the early months of the War.  The U. S. Army Hospital Department sets were made by American makers, like Tiemann, Hernstein, Kolbe', and Gemrig, expressly for use 'during' the War by Union Army surgeons.   U. S. Army Medical Department sets could have existed before, during, or after the Civil War and were made expressly for the  Union Army.   Other existing sets 'could' have been used by 'contract'  or Army surgeons on both sides during the War.  Contract surgeons and State Volunteer Militia surgeons, typically brought their own instruments for use during the early part of the War due to a lack of instruments on both sides early in the War.  As the War progressed, contract surgeons rarely did any 'surgery' since they were relegated to the rear area hospitals on a temporary basis to do follow-up treatment such as changing bandages and to treat disease related problems, which did not include surgery.  Amputations and other major surgery was done by Army qualified surgeons, not the contract physicians. (Points taken from: Dr. Jay Bollet's book on Civil War medicine and surgery) 

 

Article on sources of Civil War military surgical sets

 

Without serious documentation, the surgical sets owned by contract surgeons are very difficult to prove and attribute as being 'Civil War' since the sets may have been in existence for years prior to the War. 

 

• Be sure to read this short articles on: The Truth about Civil War Surgeons by Dr. Jay Bollet

• Additional information from the National Archives regarding 'contract' physicians

• How to evaluate and buy a Civil War surgical set

• How to identify Civil War military surgical sets

• See a list of American Civil War set makers with identification information

• Tiemann catalogue of Civil War instruments

• Gemrig catalog of Civil War instruments

 

(All sets on this site are original, contain the correct instruments, and all instruments in a given set are by the same maker.  These are not 'put-together' sets and the sets do not contain substitution instruments.  If incorrect instruments were included in the set when purchased for this collection, then the incorrect instruments were removed.) 

5.1 c. 1865, Large staff surgeon's Civil War surgery set, marked 'U.S. Army Hosp. Dept', by H. Hernstein, N.Y.  This three tier hospital surgery set is a special issue for bone surgery used to deal with the trauma of war.   Mint condition and 100% complete.  A rare, rare and unique find.  Bilateral military sliding latches. See additional details and EXPANDED photos
5.2 c. 1860-64, A large, Civil War Hospital issue, 'U. S. Army Hospital Dept.' marked surgical set by Kolbe' of Philadelphia.  This four tier set was a special bone surgery collection of instruments used to deal with the trauma of war.  Bilateral military sliding latches. See additional details and EXPANDED photos
5.3 c. 1863 Civil War, U. S. Army Hospital Department issue, field surgery set by Geo. Tiemann, N.Y.  This is the type of set which would have been issued to a field surgeon.  Bilateral military sliding latches. See additional details, EXPANDED photos, and discussion of this set
5.4 c. 1861-1865 Hernstein & Son, New York City, U.S. Army Hospital Dept. marked field surgery set.  Bilateral military sliding latches. See additional details and EXPANDED photos
5.5 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, especially by students trained in New. York area.  Keyed lock. See additional details and EXPANDED photos
5.6 c. 1862 military issued surgical and dental set by Wade and Ford, N.Y. City, which was in the possession of a surgeon who was first a steward on a Federal Naval ship during the Civil War and then went to medical college during the War.  Bilateral military sliding latches. See additional details and EXPANDED photos