The Schimmelbusch mask is an open breathing system for delivering an anesthetic. The device was invented by Curt Schimmelbusch in 1889, and was used until the 1950s (though it is still applied in some developing countries). The device consists of a wire frame which is covered with several beds of gauze and applied to the patient's face over the mouth and nose. Then high-volatility anesthetic (usually diethyl ether or halothane, and historically chloroform) is dripped on it, allowing the patient to inhale a mix of the evaporated anesthetic and air. The device is designed to prevent the anesthetic from coming in contact with the patient's skin, where it can cause irritation.This model differs from the others in that the mask's handle is attached to the mask, as opposed to the spring. The chloroform cloth was possibly held in place by the clamp, instead of a spring. Schimmelbusch anasthetic mask, made of Stainless steel. This mask was used with chloroform cloth. Missing spring. Martin and Co.surgery, anesthetic, chloroform, surgical instrument

This anaesthetic mask has a screw missing from the right hand side. Made of stainless steel with light tarnish. mask, surgery, anaesthesia

Schimmelbusch model of anesthetic masks, used during the 20th century in Australia. Good example of the surgical instruments used by anesthetists. Anaesthetic mask made of stainless steel. Used in conjunction with a chloroform cloth. All screws intact. Spring handle is placed at the rounded end of the mask. surgery, anesthetic, chloroform

This brace was used in Adelaide by Dr R. Humphrey Marten (1860-1933). he was an English general practitioner who graduated from University College Hospital in 1883. He came to Australia as custodian of a mentally deranged patient. Martins fee allowed him to return to England and obtain a degree from Cambridge. in 1888 he returned to Adelaide and became a very successful physician and surgeon, said to be the first surgeon in South Australian to remove a brain tumor in 1901. The brace was later used by Sir Leonard Lindon (1896- 1978) one of the eight founders of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia, who had married Marten's daughter.Having been used by two important figures in surgery during the 20th century this item is an excellent representation of the brace described by Eugene Doyen (1859-1916) of Paris in 1896. It is used in conjunction with a perforator, spherical burrs and a n electric saw.Small Brace measuring 25.5 cm, from the handle to the socket. It is nickel plated.doyen, brace, lindon, marten, surgery, neurosurgery.

This attachment was used in Adelaide by Dr R. Humphrey Marten (1860-1933). He was an English general practitioner who graduated from University College Hospital in 1883. He came to Australia as custodian of a mentally deranged patient. Martins fee allowed him to later return to England and obtain a degree from Cambridge. In 1888 he returned to Adelaide and became a very successful physician and surgeon, said to be the first surgeon in South Australian to have removed a brain tumor in 1901. The brace was later used by Sir Leonard Lindon (1896- 1978) one of the eight founders of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia, who had married Marten's daughter.Having been used by two important figures in surgery during the 20th century this item is an excellent representation of the brace described by Eugene Doyen (1859-1916) of Paris in 1896. It is used in conjunction with a perforator, spherical burrs and an electric saw.small tapered attachment for Doyen Bracedoyen, brace, lindon, marten, surgery, centering bit, neurosurgery.

Hakata doll was given to RACS as a gift from the Japanese College of Surgeons. Made by Tomi Kono for Kyugetsu,Toyko. Kyugetsu is a famous doll store in the Asakusabashi district of Tokyo. This was founded in the Edo period and has been making dolls for 150 years.This elaborately costumed ceramic doll has its origins in simple clay figurines first produced in the Hakata district of the Japanese city of Fukuoka in the 17th century. They made their appearance in the West at the Exposition Universelie in Paris in 1900 by which time they had been transformed from toys into an artform. Most dolls are inspired by figures from the theatre: Noh, Kabuki and Ukiyo-e. These figures are sometimes connected with Geisha dolls although this is not necessarily a correct description. The robes and hairstyle are traditional but not confined to geisha.Hakata Doll dressed in elaborate kimono, in glass display case. Wooden plaque in cabinet with Japanese characters/script - presumably describes the doll. Doll has porcelain face, hands and feet, and a cloth body. This doll depicts a young unmarried woman dancing and holding an elaborate drum (tsuzumi).On plaque in cabinet: "Japanese College of Surgeons. Founded in 1974"hakata, diplomatic gift, japanese college of surgeons

The College’s spray was one of the first pieces of surgical memorabilia to come into the possession of the College. It had been used in the Listerian wards of the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, and was presented , along with some other artefacts, by James Hogarth Pringle in 1930. Joseph Lister (1827-1912) is known as a father of modern surgery. His methods of preventing infection were controversial in their time, but are today recognized as a major advance in the practice of surgery. Lister’s life and achievements are too well known to be recounted here. The definitive biography was written by his nephew, Sir Rickman Godlee (PRCSE 1911-13), and published in 1917. Douglas Guthrie gives an glimpse of Lister at work: “...He never wore a white gown and frequently did not even remove his coat, but simply rolled back his sleeves and turned up his coat collar to protect his starched collar from the cloud of carbolic spray in which he operated...” From advances in bacteriology, and discoveries by Robert Koch and others, it became increasingly evident that airborne bacteria were not a significant contributor to sepsis in surgical wounds. They also demonstrated that the body had its own defences against invading organisms, which were seriously compromised by the effects of the carbolic spray. Gradually the use of the spray was curtailed, Lister himself finally abandoning it in 1887. Lister performed the first antiseptic operation, the dressing and splintage of a compound fracture of the lower leg, in 1865. At this time he used carbolic solution by application, and dressings soaked in the solution. The spray was developed later, after many different methods, including carbolic and linseed oil putty, had been tried in order to reduce the harmful side-effects of undiluted carbolic acid. The steam spray was developed in 1869, and announced to the medical world in 1871. Lister’s purpose in adopting the spray was to kill airborne bacteria in the vicinity of the operation before they could reach the patient. It came to be used all over the world for many years. However, it had serious disadvantages, which even Lister acknowledged. The principal problem was the inhalation of carbolic vapour by everyone in the vicinity, including the patient and the operator. In addition, if the patient had been anæsthetized using chloroform, the gas lights decomposed the vapour into chlorine gas, making any procedure an ordeal of endurance.The spray consists of a steam boiler heated by a wick, a nozzle for the steam to escape, and a glass jar for the carbolic solution. Fuel for the wick is carried in a tank at the base. Valves regulate the pressure of the steam, and the nozzle is adjustable. The boiler is made of cast iron, the fittings are brass, and the handles are of wood. Empty, the apparatus weighs 8 lbs (3.2 kg). lister, carbolic spray, antiseptic

The Milton Shield was given to the College in 1968 by the eminent Sydney surgeon Conrad Blakemore (1898-1976), whose family had owned it for almost 100 years. There are three known examples of this Shield in Australia. They are electrotype reproductions made by Elkington & Co. of an original created by Léonard Morel-Ladeuil between 1864 and 1866, and exhibited in Paris at the Exposition Universelle of 1867. The original is made of silver and damascened iron, measures 880mm by 630mm, and is now in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.There are three known examples of this Shield in Australia. They are electrotype reproductions made by Elkington & Co. of an original created by Léonard Morel-Ladeuil between 1864 and 1866, and exhibited in Paris at the Exposition Universelle of 1867. The original is made of silver and damascened iron, measures 880mm by 630mm, and is now in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The Shield is oval in shape, and is divided into several fields, each of which shows a different scene. The entire surface is covered in floral and animal decoration, and patterns. A cable moulding runs around the outer edge. The College’s Shield is set in a heavy timber frame bordered with red velvet and glazed.The central area is circular, depicting the archangel Raphael telling the story of the war in Heaven to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Immediately below this is the figure of the archangel Michael trampling on the defeated Satan. At the bottom of the shield are two figures representing Sin and Death. On either side of the central circle is a kidney-shaped field, the one on the left showing the army of the rebel angels assaulting Heaven, and on the right the fall of the rebel angels. At the top of the Shield are figures of cherubim and seraphim. The name of the Shield derives from the scenes on it, illustrating episodes from Paradise Lost by John Milton (1608-1674). Presented by Conrad Blackmoremilton shield, conrad blakemore, 1968

Hygieia (Ύγεια, lit., “healing”) probably began as an abstraction, which later became personified. She does not appear to be a deity of extremely ancient origin, and there has been much scholarly debate as to exactly where and when worship of her first developed. Her cult most likely arose in the territory of Sikyon, where she was worshipped along with Asklepios, the legendary god of medicine. In later times Hygieia came to be regarded as the daughter of Asklepios, although her cult was not introduced to Epidauros, his principal sanctuary, until at least the 4th century BC. The earliest large-scale devotion to her is found in the aftermath of the Plague of Athens (420BC). The cult of Hygieia was taken to Rome, along with that of Asklepios (Æsculapius), in 293BC, to avert a pestilence. Here she gradually became integrated with the old Italian god Salus. Towards the end of the pagan era both Hygieia and Asklepios lost their specific associations with medicine, and became general protective deities. A beautiful wooden statue representing Hygieia, the Greek goddess of health.The figure is highly polished, which brings out the intricate grain of the timber. In it, the sculptor has endeavoured to combine the qualities of a classical pose with a contemporary yet timeless surreal sensuality. It will stand on a stone pedestal about 90cm high, and be placed in a prominent location in the Melbourne headquarters. The College’s statue is semi-abstract in style, carved from a single piece of jarrah. The piece of timber from which it is fashioned was salvaged from the remains of a century-old shearing shed on Rifle Downs, at Darkan in the south-west of Western Australia.

The Sidcup Collection came to RACS from the University of Melbourne, Pathology Department and is regarded as one of the most valuable held by the College. It includes the patient records created by the Australian Surgical Unit at the hospital and covers the period 1916 - 1919. There are 50 watercolour illustrations of patients sketched by Sgt. Daryl Lindsay, X-ray prints, photographs, diagrams and some case histories. Private Pritchard was treated by the Australian Surgical Unit during WW1.These casts are unique in Victoria An original plaster cast taken of a patient Private Pritchard, who required reconstructive surgery c1917-1921. The cast would have been used as an aid to surgery and used for future reference.On base,incised into plaster "PRITCHARD" .sidcup collection, university of melbourne, sir daryl lindsay, 1916-1919, plaster cast, plastic surgery, sir benjamin rank

A special stool made to enable a disabled surgeon to operate while sitting was donated to the College by Mr John Farlow FRACS in September 2003.The stool was made for Gilbert Phillips FRACS (1904-52), the legendary Sydney neurosurgeon and wine connoisseur. Phillips was a gifted young graduate, a protégé of (Sir) Harold Dew (PRACS 1953-55). He went to England, where he became surgical assistant to (Sir) Hugh Cairns, amongst others. He was a consultant to the RAAF during WWII, and at the end of the War returned to England at Cairns’ request. Back in Sydney, he returned to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where he spent most of his professional career. In 1951, after a long battle with skin cancer, he had his right leg amputated below the knee. Only a few weeks later he was back working at the operating table, and it was at this time the stool was constructed for him. By now however, he was suffering from secondary melanoma, and he died in September 1952.This object is an interesting example of pioneering apparatus from the days before stools became a familiar piece of theatre equipment.The design of the stool is simple and robust. A substantial padded saddle forms the seat, which is adjustable for height. The saddle is upholstered in red leather. The frame is made from tubular steel, painted cream. The whole device runs on three swivelling casters, two at the front and one at the rear, which enable it to be taken in any direction. noneracs, gilbert phillips, harold dew, surgery, 2003

Dormia Stone Extractor with Set of instructions in French and English. This item is a tiny apparatus consisting of four wires that can be advanced through an endoscope into a body cavity or tube, manipulated to trap a calculus or other object, and withdrawn.

alfred trinca, surgery, racs

Built in 1942-1943, the Thai-Burma Railway was a 415 kilometre stretch of railway between Ban Pong, Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Burma. It was constructed by the Japanese using civilian labourers and prisoners-of-war. It is estimated that 90,000 labourers and more than 12,000 POW’s died during construction of the railway.This is a commemorative object highlighting the role of medical personnel during the war and its impact on them personally and preofessionallyThis dogspike and its attached sleeper came from the Thai-Burma Railway. A dogspike is a rail fastening with a pointed end and a ‘plate holding’ head, giving the impression of a dog’s head. Built in 1942-1943, the Thai-Burma Railway was a 415 kilometre stretch of railway between Ban Pong, Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Burma. It was constructed by the Japanese using civilian labourers and prisoners-of-war. It is estimated that 90,000 labourers and more than 12,000 POW’s died during construction of the railway. The dogspike was donated by Bill Sharp in 2014. It commemorates the Australian Medical personnel who became prisoners-of-war. they are listed on the plaque behind the spike.thai-burma, japanese, 1942-43, commemorative gift

Farquhar McCrae (1807-50) was born at Westbrook near Edinburgh, into a distinguished Scottish family. He was educated at the University of Edinburgh and graduated MD in 1827. After a sojourn in Paris he joined the staff of the general hospital at Chatham. Here he suffered an injury during a dissection, which impaired his health for the rest of his life. He was appointed curator of the museum at Chatham, and put together a notable collection of pathological specimens. In 1838 he sought to resign on the grounds of ill health, and was then offered a posting with the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons. But with his health still poor, he decided to emigrate to a kinder climate, and arrived in Melbourne aboard the barque Midlothian. McCrae set up practice in Bourke Street with his brother-in-law, David Thomas. Both were pioneers in the use of anæsthetics. McCrae was the first to introduce chloroform, Thomas ether. Sometime after 1841 McCrae moved to Sydney, where he was one of the first medical practitioners appointed to the staff of the Sydney Infirmary and Dispensary. He died in Sydney at the age of 43 years. The sword is a dress sword of the 6th Dragoons. Made by Henry Wilkinson of Pall Mall, it is 38 inches (96.5cm) long and has an elaborately engraved and highly polished steel blade. Being a ceremonial weapon, the blade is quite blunt, and the gilt guard bears the crown and monogram of Queen Victoria, which dates the sword to late 1837 or 1838. The grip is bound in snakeskin and the sword is carried in a leather scabbard with brass mounts. It remains as one of the important links to the pioneering days of Melbourne, and early medical practice in Australasia.Sword, ceremonial, steel with brass decoration and a steel handle, highly decorated, in a scabbard of patterned black leather covered metal, brass tipped, 100 cm long. It belonged to Farquhar McCrae.

Donated by Sir Henry Newland.The samovar stands 41cm high, and is 39cm wide across the handles. It is made of Sheffield plate, and dates from the late 18th century. It is supported on a square base with four cast lion’s feet attached by elaborate mounts at the corners. The main vessel or tank is circular, and set on a short columnar stand. These elements are heavily fluted. There are two elaborately decorated solid cast silver handles attached to the sides of the tank. A long spout with a cast ivory handled tap extends from the bottom of the tank. The lid is plainer, with a fluted and scalloped edge, and is capped with a finial. Inside the tank is a cylindrical immersion container for hot coals, a primitive type of heating element. There is a crest, probably that of the original owner, engraved on the shoulder of the tank above the tap. A samovar is a Russian tea urn but the College’s samovar is not a tea urn, as it does not include the stand or the teapot. Undoubtedly it was intended to provide hot water for tea, and the absence of a matching teapot indicates a cultural difference between the English and the Russians, in the way in which they went about brewing tea. It is a showpiece, intended for use and display in the reception rooms of the house. In the 18th century tea was still a rare and exotic import from the Orient, so the serving of tea was an important act of hospitality and a statement of social status.Sir Henry Newland was the College President 1929-1935Antique sheffield plated samovar with shell design and pressed rib border, finely worked casted handles, spout with swivel top, with tapered centre column, square shaped base with cast lions feet

The Loving Cup was presented to the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons at the inaugural session of the General Scientific Meeting in Melbourne, on 15 May 1977, to mark the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the College. It was presented by Sir Rodney Smith PRCS and Lady Smith, and was a gift from the Royal College of Surgeons of England, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. The coat-of arms of the Colleges are engraved around the outside. The Cup was made by Roy Flewin, a master craftsman of London. It is sterling silver, hallmarked for the year of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee (1977), and stands 26cm high. It is fitted with two handles and a lid’ and has a gilt interior. The engraving was carried out by Stanley Reece. Whether between friends or lovers, drinking from a Loving Cup is an act of ultimate trust, and is always performed with due ceremony: “A” takes the Cup, filled with wine, and turns to “B”. “A” bows to “B”, and “B” bows/curtsies to “A”. “B” removes the lid of the Cup. “A” drinks from the Cup, and wipes the place he drank from with a cloth tied to one of the handles. “B” replaces the lid, and takes the Cup. If only two people are involved, then they simply reverse rôles. If there are more than two, then the ceremony continues in a similar fashion. The Cup is a token of the friendship and cordiality that exists among the Royal Colleges. In presenting it to E.S.R. (Bill) Hughes, then President of the RACS, Sir Rodney described it as ‘a symbol of our common heritage, and the privileges and responsibilities we share’The Loving Cup was presented to the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons at the inaugural session of the General Scientific Meeting in Melbourne, on 15 May 1977, to mark the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the CollegeSTERLING SILVER 2-HANDLED LOVING CUP WITH LIFT TOP, FINE BUD FILIAL, GILDED INTERIOR AND SCROLLED HANDLES, ON RIBBED PLATFORM BASE, WITH CREST, ETC. (SEE TOORAC AUCTION LIST FOR ALL DETAILS).HALLMARKS AND COATS OF ARMS. UNDER BASE: "ENGRAVED BY STANLEY REECE) PRESENTATION CARD: "LOVING CUP PRESENTED AT THE INAUGURAL CEREMONY GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING, RACS, 15 MAY 1977 BY loving cup, 50th anniversary of the foundation of the college, sir rodney smith, 1977, roy flewin

The mallet was given to the College by the staff of St Mark’s Hospital, London to celebrate the inauguration of the Proctological (later Colonic and Rectal) Section, on 28 May 1963. It was presented by J.C. Stewart to Alan Lendon, then Vice-President and Chairman of the Court of Examiners. Although it is usually described as a gavel, the form of the piece is in fact that of an ancient stonemason’s mallet. The action required to use it is a straight up-and-down motion, unlike that of a normal gavel, which is handled like a hammer. Made of black bean, 22.5cm high and 12cm in diameter, the mallet rests in a wooden stand made of Queensland walnut, with a square base of English oak. The mallet and stand are housed in a travelling case covered in red leather and lined in red velvet and white satin. On the front of the stand are four crests, those of St Mark’s Hospital, the Royal College of Surgeons of England, the Royal Society of Medicine, and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. St Mark’s was founded in 1835 as a specialist hospital for the treatment of fistula in ano, a common condition in the days of travelling on horseback, and other anorectal disorders. Over the years the hospital developed into a centre for gastroenterology, colonic and rectal surgery, and many Australians went to further their training there. Some noted Fellows of the College, including Robert Officer, James Guest, Reg Magee, Brian Collopy and Adrian Polglase, and three Presidents, Mervyn Smith, Sir Edward Hughes and Russell Stitz, are alumni of St Mark’s. This mallet is a reminder of the establishment of a significant surgical section within the College, and is a fitting gift from an institution with which so many eminent Australian surgeons formed close ties.GAVEL ON STAND WITH PAINTED COATS-OF-ARMS IN RED LEATHER PRESENTATION BOXPLAQUE ON GAVEL: "PRESENTED BY THE STAFF OF ST. MARK'S HOSPITAL TO COMMEMORATE THE FOUNDING OF THE PATHOLOGICAL SECTION OF THE RACS 28TH MAY 1963"

This small bronze statute depicts Neville Howse rescuing a soldier from the battlefield during the Boer War. In 1900 while accompanying a group of infantry at Vredefort, Howse noticed a British trumpeter fall. As the soldier lay injured under heavy fire, the surgeon galloped to his rescue. His horse was horse shot dead from under him but undeterred, he continued on foot until he reached the man. The soldier had been shot through the bladder so Howse dressed his wounds and carried him to safety. For this brave action, Howse was awarded the Victoria Cross, the first medical person to achieve this honour. The son of a doctor who served in the Crimean war, Neville Howse (1863-1930) was born in Somerset, England. He migrated to Australia and set up medical practice in Newcastle and later, in Taree, NSW. Upon deciding to become a surgeon, he returned to the UK to undertake Fellowship of the Royal College before travelling back to NSW in 1899. In the same year Great Britain went to war with the two Boer Republics of South Africa and Howse volunteered for service. ARTIST Donated to the College in 2000 by Queensland Fellow, Neville Davis, the commissioned work is by Brisbane physiotherapist, Peter DornanBronze statue 45cm in height, on a granite base. The statue depicts Neville Howse bent over carrying a wounded soldier

Long term loan from Neurological Society of Australasia Museum of Neurosurgical Instruments , South Australia Catalogue with Historical Commentaries Second Edition January 2006 Copy located at RACS MuseumSTUART MORSON'S MECHANICAL INJECTOR FOR ANGIOGRAPHY. Stuart Morson(1913 - 1980) of Sydney had this injector constructed in or before 1952. It is said that it was not used much. The injector embodies two 10 ml and two 20 ml Record syringes coupled to a single delivery system. Each is operated by a piston. The pistons are driven from cylinders drilled in a metal block within the casing of the injector; the motive power must have been hydraulic or pneumatic pressure delivered through a manifold with taps allowing each syringe to be worked in isolation. The casing also contains two linked micro switches operated from a distance; it is unclear what was the role of these switches, and it is possible that a component of the unit is lost. JB Curtisl stated that a mechanical injector was devised in 1949 for serial angiography by his collaborator Schuster, but was not felt to be safe enough for use. For many years, neurosurgeons and neuroradiologists preferred to inject by hand.

Long term loan from Neurological Society of Australasia Museum of Neurosurgical Instruments,South Australia. Catalogue with Historical Commentaries Second Edition January 2006 Copy located at RACS MuseumTrumble's Skull Plough or craniotome devised by Hugh Trumble (1864-1962 ) CRANIOTOME. This craniotome was designed by Hugh Trumble (1894-1962) of the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, one of the eight founders of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia. It was a modification of an earlier instrument, similar in principle but less versatile, designed by Sir Henry Souttar(l875 - 1964), a very inventive surgeon who worked in the London Hospital. Souttar also used a motor-powered circular saw when necessary. He cut very large circular bone flaps, exposing the occipital lobes and posterior fossa in a few minutes. Trumble reported the use of this craniotome as "an expeditious method of cutting bone flaps" and in the designer's hands this claim was certainly justified. To use the crauiotome, it was necessary to hold the skull rigidly, and this was done by embedding the head in a plaster mould. Three holes were drilled in the skull to fix the pin of the craniotome, and the flap was then cut in a series of three arcs, after which the flap was elevated with levers until its base fractured. The 'Trumbolian" instrumentation was used in the Alfred Hospital by a number of Trumble's pupils. The craniotome is made of steel, not plated and apparently not stainless. It is believed that Trumble made his craniotomes himself, in a backyard workshop.

From Neurological Society of Australia. Wooden case with key. Contents (12 parts) include trephines, various sizes; perforator; key; ebony trephine handle; Hey skull saw; elevator; steel forceps; brush; lenticular; five pointed rugine. 18th or early 19th century.TREPHINE & SKULL SAW IN CASE OF SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS: EIGHTEENTH OR EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY. This set of surgical instruments contains, in a wooden case covered with shagreen: two trephines and a perforator , with a key to remove the trephine centring pins a detachable ebony handle a Hey skull saw with the name BLACKWELL an elevator a pair of steel forceps a bone or ivory brush to clean the trephines a lenticular a 5-pointed rugine. The trephines are conical, with slight tapering to prevent over- penetration; they are approximately 17 and 20 mm in diameter. Each has a sharp centring point, which 5 can be removed. Hand trephines are operated with one hand, being rotated like a gimlet, by alternating pronation and supination of the forearm, which also exe1ts downward pressure. The skull saw was used where trephining was difficult, as in some depressed fractures; it was popularised by William Hey (1736-1819) of Leeds, though described by earlier writers. Hey, a Yorkshireman, studied in St George's Hospital, London, but worked with great distinction in the Leeds General Infirmary. The lenticular, a curious instrument seen in many eighteenth century illustrations, was used to smooth the margins of bone defects. The rugine could be used to scrape granulations. The design of the trephines and of most of the other instruments strongly suggests an English origin, probably in the eighteenth century. A very similar trephine is figured by the London surgeon Percivall Pott2 in 1779. Bennion l [ists three instrument makers named Blackwell, none earlier than 1817. Most of the instruments have been plated, presumably with nickel, at a date that must be much later. The nickel plating shows little sign of wear.

ww1, surgical set

Donated by the Alfred Hospital medical Supply Unit