Civil War Military Surgery Kits & Sets

Pre- & Post- Civil War:

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Civil War: 

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Presentation Sets

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Indexed list of all Civil War surgical sets in this collection

Surgery sets by: Hernstein; Hernstein & Son; Snowden; Snowden & Brother; Wade and Ford; George Tiemann

(Note: Any surgical or medicine 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 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 proved 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 article on: The Truth about Civil War Surgeons by Dr. Jay Bollet

• Additional information from the National Archives and Medical and Surgical History 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.)

High Def image files for some of these Civil War surgical sets are available for publishing print work,

6.1 c. 1860-64 U. S. Army Medical Department marked four tier capital set by Snowden & Brother, Philadelphia, Pa.  Bilateral military sliding latches. See additional details and EXPANDED photos
6.2 c. 1861 U. S. Army Medical Department marked field set by Snowden & Brother, Philadelphia.  Bilateral military sliding latches. See additional details and EXPANDED photos
6.3 c. 1864,  George Tiemann, N.Y., surgical amputation set.  A very unique set made during the Civil War for civilian use.  Keyed lock. See additional details and EXPANDED photos
6.4 c. 1860-61 Super rare Geo. Tiemann, New York, Civil War military surgical set, with provenance: owned by 6th Mass. Vol. Militia surgeon Norman Smith, MD, who documented and preformed one of the first amputations of the Civil War in the Rotunda of  Washington, D.C.   Bilateral military sliding latches. See additional details and EXPANDED photos    As sited in the Medical & Surgical History:  Documents the date of the amputation and the patients.  If the War began on April 12, 1861 at Fort Sumter, this operation took place on April 26, 1861 after the Riot at Baltimore and one of the first documented surgical amputation of the Civil War.   "283 Herrick, M. S., Lieut., E, 8th Massachusetts. April 26, 26, '61. Surgeon. N. Smith, 6th Mass. Disch'd May 21, 1861."
6.5 1861 Civil War military amputation set by Geo. Tiemann, N.Y. as specified by Dr. Frank Hamilton in his surgical text book.  Single military sliding latch. See additional details and EXPANDED photos