Civil War Surgical Set Instrument Identification

By Dr. Michael Echols, American Civil War Surgical Antiques

Shown below is a c.1864-65 military issue U.S. Army Hospital Department marked Hernstein capital surgical set, which would have been used in the hospitals by regimental surgeons.  The individual instruments are numbered in the three layers and the numbers correspond to the list of instruments on the left side of the page.  Unfortunately this venue on eBay does not allow for viewing the enlarged images so you can see the numbers imprinted on the various instruments, but it may help on some level.  To see greater details, search on Google for "American Civil War Surgical Antiques" for Dr. Echols' web site with expanded information on this topic and excellent photographs posted on the web site.

Upper tray:
1.  Bone dust brush
2.  Amputation saw
3.  Handle for small trephine
4.  Trepanning scalpel
5.  Hey saw for trepanning
6.  Gouging bone chisel
7.  Trepanning elevator
8.  Straight end bone chisel
9.  Trepanning raspatory
10,11.Chain saw handles (2)
12. Olive arterial forceps
13. Bandage or tissue scissor
14. Trephine head (small)
 

Lower tray:
15. Chain saw blades
16. Bone holding forceps
17. Liston Bone forceps (heavy)
18. Bone rongeur forceps
19. Set of bone drills (4) with handle
20. Liston knee curve cutting forceps
21. Bone chisel mallet
 

Removable tray:
22. Handle for large trephine
23. Trephine head (large)
24. Tourniquet (brass frame) w/strap
25. Set of muscle retractors (2)
26. Needles, suture, bone wax compartment
27. Aneurysm needle holders
28. Scalpels, Bistouries, tenaculeum
29. Amputation knives, catlin, finger saw
30. Spare bone saw blade

Dr. Michael Echols is a long-term collector/researcher of Civil War surgical antiques, he is not a dealer.  For additional information on this topic, please search for and visit the web site:

American Civil War Surgical Antiques