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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Civil War Military Surgery Kits & Sets

 U. S. Army Hospital Department   -   U. S. Army Medical Department

Display Page Six (1861-1865)

Dr. Echols Collection

Pre- & Post- Civil War: Display 1  |  Display 2  |  Display 3

Civil War:  Display 4  |  Display 5  |  Display 6  |  Display 7  | Presentation & Tribute Sets

 

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Indexed list of all Civil War surgical sets in this collection

Surgery sets by: Hernstein; Hernstein & Son; Snowden; Snowden & Brother; Wade and Ford; George Tiemann

(Note: Any surgical or medicine set in existence prior to or during the Civil War 'could' have been used during the War, but it is more likely only the Union Army supplied sets were used in the field by Union Army surgeons after the early months of the War.  The U. S. Army Hospital Department sets were made by American makers, like Tiemann, Hernstein, Kolbe', and Gemrig, expressly for use 'during' the War by Union Army surgeons.   U. S. Army Medical Department sets could have existed before, during, or after the Civil War and were made expressly for the  Union Army.   Other existing sets 'could' have been used by 'contract'  or Army surgeons on both sides during the War.  Contract surgeons and State Volunteer Militia surgeons, typically brought their own instruments for use during the early part of the War due to a lack of instruments on both sides early in the War.  As the War progressed, contract surgeons rarely did any 'surgery' since they were relegated to the rear area hospitals on a temporary basis to do follow-up treatment such as changing bandages and to treat disease related problems, which did not include surgery.  Amputations and other major surgery was done by Army qualified surgeons, not the contract physicians. (Points taken from: Dr. Jay Bollet's book on Civil War medicine and surgery)  Dr. Michael Echols.

 

Article on sources of Civil War military surgical sets

 

Without serious documentation, the surgical sets owned by contract surgeons are very difficult to proved and attribute as being 'Civil War' since the sets may have been in existence for years prior to the War. 

Be sure to read this short article on: The Truth about Civil War Surgeons by Dr. Jay Bollet

Additional information from the National Archives and Medical and Surgical History regarding 'contract' physicians

How to evaluate and buy a Civil War surgical set

Tiemann catalogue of Civil War instruments 

Gemrig catalog of Civil War instruments

 

(All sets on this site are original, contain the correct instruments, and all instruments in a given set are by the same maker.  These are not 'put-together' sets and the sets do not contain substitution instruments.  If incorrect instruments were included in the set when purchased for this collection, then the incorrect instruments were removed.)

High Def image files for some of these Civil War surgical sets are available for publishing print work, contact Dr. Echols for information.

6.1

c. 1860-64 U. S. Army Medical Department marked four tier capital set by Snowden & Brother, Philadelphia, Pa.  Bilateral military sliding latches.

See additional details and EXPANDED photos 

 

6.2

c. 1861 U. S. Army Medical Department marked field set by Snowden & Brother, Philadelphia.  Bilateral military sliding latches.

See additional details and EXPANDED photos 

6.3

c. 1864,  George Tiemann, N.Y., surgical amputation set.  A very unique set made during the Civil War for civilian use.  Keyed lock.

See additional details and EXPANDED photos 

6.4

c. 1860-61 Super rare Geo. Tiemann, New York, Civil War military surgical set, with provenance: owned by 6th Mass. Vol. Militia surgeon Norman Smith, MD, who documented and preformed one of the first amputations of the Civil War in the Rotunda of  Washington, D.C.   Bilateral military sliding latches.

See additional details and EXPANDED photos 

 

As sited in the Medical & Surgical History:  Documents the date of the amputation and the patients.  If the War began on April 12, 1861 at Fort Sumter, this operation took place on April 26, 1861 after the Riot at Baltimore and one of the first documented surgical amputation of the Civil War.

 

"283 Herrick, M. S., Lieut., E, 8th Massachusetts. April 26, 26, '61. Surgeon. N. Smith, 6th Mass. Disch'd May 21, 1861."
 

Geo. Tiemann, N.Y., Civil War surgical set owned by Nathan Smith, 6th Mass. Vol., c. 1860-61
6.5

1861 Civil War military amputation set by Geo. Tiemann, N.Y. as specified by Dr. Frank Hamilton in his surgical text book.  Single military sliding latch.

See additional details and EXPANDED photos 

 

Tiemann, N.Y., small Civil War military amputation set per specs by F. Hamilton, c. 1861

 

Pre- & Post- Civil War: Display 1  |  Display 2  |  Display 3

Civil War:  Display 4  |  Display 5  |  Display 6  |  Display 7  | Presentation & Tribute Sets

 

'SEARCH THIS SITE' 

 

Indexed list of all Civil War surgical sets in this collection

If you are interested in obtaining a 'real' Civil War surgical set, please email Dr. Echols with your name.  He will keep in contact with you about sets that become available.

 

Medical Antiques Index

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

Please request permission before commercial use or publication of any content or photos on this site and credit any use with:  "American Civil War Surgical Antiques"   All content and all original photography on this Web Site is copyrighted since 1995 and may not be used on any other web site or in commercial print without the expressed e-mail permission from Dr. Arbittier:  Contact   All rights reserved. 

 

Students doing reports or projects are welcome to use the content of this site without permission, but credits would be appreciated.

 

Please note: information on this site may not be normally referenced as this is an active and long-term educational research project.  Personal notes may not be properly cited for publication.  Various articles are digitally reproduced under the 'fair-use act' of the copyright laws and are intended for educational purposes only.  Many citations are from Google digital 'books' and can be traced backwards via a search of a unique string in the citation.

 

 Arbittier Museum of Medical History Tour:   1 | 2 | 3

Last update: Thursday, February 16, 2023