Knife, amputation

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OBJECT TYPE: SURGICAL/LISTON'S/MEDIUM
DATE: 1864–1886
ARTIFACT NUMBER: 2002.0579.005

MANUFACTURER: Tiemann & Co.
MODEL: Unknown
LOCATION: New York, New York, United States of America

More Information

General Information

Serial #: N/A
Part Number: 5
Total Parts: 18
AKA: N/A
Patents: N/A
General Description: metal blade; gutta-percha (?) handle

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length: 30.0 cm
Width: 1.8 cm
Height: 1.3 cm
Thickness: N/A
Weight: N/A
Diameter: N/A
Volume: N/A

Lexicon

Group: Medical Technology
Category: Instruments
Sub-Category: N/A

Manufacturer

AKA: Tiemann
Country: United States of America
State/Province: New York
City: New York

Context

Country: Canada
State/Province: Ontario
Period: Probably used c. mid- 1860s- c. 1890. Thin, straight blade; collar or band attachment point between blade & handle; and heavy, ornate handle suggest this knife may be c. 1850s.
Canada: From cased set of amputation instruments originally owned, and presumably used, by Dr. George H. Bowen, of Leeds County, Ontario. He was registered as M.R.C.P. in 1877. This set was given to Dr. Bowen by his mother. [Ref. 3]
Function: Used to cut through soft tissue, exposing long bones of leg thigh or upper arm.
Technical: Robert Liston (England} is largely credited with re-introducing the flap amputation. Previously, circular amputation was widely practiced: using a sickle-like curved blade knife skin, muscle and bone were cut and separated from one another. After the bone was severed, arteries were tied and the soft tissues pulled together and secured. Of longer duration, and appreciably more pain and trauma circular amputations also resulted in a much-shortened limb. Flap amputations reduced the time necessary to cut through to bone, and produced a more useful stump. Liston advocated using instruments of a size proportionate to the specific amputation (ie. long blades for thigh amputations), and smooth or polished handles. This example features an older style (or pre-aseptic) handle with deeply incised pattern grip. (Ref. 4)
Area Notes: Unknown

Details

Markings: "Tiemann & Co" stamped into butt joint of blade. "X969.12.1C" printed by hand in white ink, below.
Missing: None.
Finish: Dark brown/black gutta-percha [?] handle has deeply recessed checkered pattern on all sides, but is smooth near end; bright silver metal blade; goldtone colour metal collar.
Decoration: N/A

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If you choose to share our information about this collection object, please cite:

Tiemann & Co., Knife, amputation, between 1864–1886, Artifact no. 2002.0579, Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, http://collections.ingeniumcanada.org/en/item/2002.0579.005/

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