American Surgical Instruments

Historians have examined the development of surgical techniques and of the surgical profession itself, but have paid scant attention to the tools that made surgery. Surgeon and historian Kirkup (honorary curator, Royal College of Surgeons, UK) demonstrates how surgical instruments as sophisticated as ultrasound or lasers began as teeth, mouth, fists, fingernails, and fingers. Far from being a compendium drawn from instrument catalogs, this volume is a masterpiece of scholarship. The instruments are situated in the surgical theory and practice of their times. Kirkup's skill and devotion in his presentation and description raise the work from a register to a natural history of the instruments. (The only caveat is that some pictures are not for the squeamish.) An extensive bibliography and an excellent index add to the book's value.

Here’s a close-up look at more than 800 cutting, clamping, grasping, retracting, and other surgical instruments. Full-color photographs of the individual surgical instruments and their tips help you learn to distinguish among them.

This is a very scholarly work that the author prefaces by explaining the Latin and Greek writings which are sources of his information. He tells us that both cultures had many, many kinds of different surgical instruments many of them made of iron and bronze. They also had instruments made of steel, since in those ancient days pure iron ore and good quality charcoal were abundant, thus allowing the making of steel.

A private collection of early American medical items featuring cased surgical and medical instruments. Information about collecting medical antiques is presented along with asection on valuation of early surgical sets. The private collection includes pre-1870 American made antique medical and surgical instruments in wood cases with velvet interiors, plus Civil War surgical sets for amputation. Images from the private collection of Dr. Michael Echols, Ft. Myers, Florida.

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