American Civil War Medicine & Surgical Antiques

Surgical Set collection from 1860 to 1865 - Civilian and Military

Civil War:  Medicine, Surgeon Education & Medical Textbooks

 Dr. Michael Echols  &  Dr. Doug Arbittier

 

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Hernstein & Son Civil War Military Dissection Set

By Dr. Michael Echols

This small ( 8 x 3.5 x 1.75 in.) rosewood cased dissection set by Hernstein & Son is dated by the maker name "Hernstein & Son" on the all-metal cartilage knife which places it squarely during the Civil War and the fact the mark shows '& Son', which is only found in the Civil War period.  

The presence of delicate ivory handled scalpels is typically pre-War and early War, but the presence of the re-enforcing brass screws in the lid is over-whelming evidence of Civil War era military issued sets by this maker.  (See an example of this type of military set lid with screws by Hernstein.) 

The lack of a military sliding latch instead of the brass keyed lock is mysterious as is the lack of engraving on the brass plate one would expect for a military issued set.  It is what it is and in like-new condition, so it may never have been issued or used.

Hermann Hernstein & Son (Hermann and Albert L. Hernstein) 1862-65: 131 Mercer and 393 Broadway, New York.

Military-type screws re-enforcement of the lid, keyed lock, blank name plate

Full complement of ivory handled scalpels, tenaculeum, cartilage knife, blow-pipe, and tissue forceps (missing scissors)

Note: a blow-pipe was used to inflate ducts, arteries, veins, hollow organs (stomach, bladder, gall bladder, etc.) and aided in seeing where those parts of the body connected or attached.

"Hernstein" on scalpels.   "Hernstein & Son" marking on cartilage knife (right)

Go to the Tiemann Civil War era dissection (post-mortem) set

 

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American Civil War Medicine & Surgical Antiques Index

 

Topical Index for American Civil War Surgical Antiques 


 

Contact Dr. Arbittier with questions or if you have Civil War medical related items for sale

 

 

Civil War Medical Collections    Sitemap for entire website 

 

Direct links to all medical & Civil War collections on this site           

American Surgical Sets:

Pre-Civil War:  1 | 2  -   Post-Civil War:  3  -  Civil War 1861-1865:  4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8   INDEX

Medical Text-Books:

1 | 1a | 2 | 2a | 3 | 3a | 4 | 4a | 5 | 5a | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9a | 10 | 11 | 12    INDEX

Surgeon General's Office Library printed catalogues: 1840 | 1864 | 1865
Medical Lecture Cards: 1a | 1b 2 | 34 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21    INDEX

Medical Faculty and Authors:

INDEX

Navy Surgeon Exams:

1863 Navy Surgeon Applicant Exams with Biographies   INDEX ONE | INDEX TWO

Surgeon CDVs, Images

Surgeon's Medical Service Swords, and Pistols

Army: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8    INDEX    

M.S. Surgeon Swords and Pistols:  1 | 2 | 3 | 4  INDEX

Navy: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8   

Hosp Dep't Bottles, Tins, 

U.S. Army Pannier:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

American Civil War Medicine & Surgical Antiques

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Last update: Thursday, February 16, 2023