Chinese woodcut: Instruments of petty surgery (2)

Woodblock illustration of surgical instruments/instruments of external medicine from Waike tushuo (Pictorial Manual of External Medicine), published in 1856 (6th year of the Xianfeng reign period of the Qing dynasty). It shows the da qian (large forceps), zhiguan yin zhen (silver needle for treating vessels) and fangtou jian (square-pointed scissors). The large forceps were supposed to be made out of 'white copper' - an alloy of copper and nickel with a nickel content of no more than 50%. The silver needle was used to probe fistulas. The 'square-pointed' scissors had blunt or flat points, which meant that they could be used for cutting away diseased flesh from ulcers, etc. without stabbing the patient and causing pain.

PICTURE TITLE: Illustrations of various types of surgical knives, scissors and forceps, 2. OTHER LETTERING: Da qian (large forceps), preferably made of white copper. Silver needle for treating vessels. Square-pointed scissors,these scissors do not pierce and cause pain when used on decayed flesh in ulcers. Superb scissors of this kind are forged by Zhang Xiaoquan of Da jing xiang (Big Well Alley), Hangzhou.