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Lithotomy knives.

Iridectomy knives label

Opera ... divisa in sei libri. Nel primo si contiene il ragionamento che fa l'Autore con Gio[vanni] suo discepolo. Nel secondo si tratta di diverse vivande di carne ... Nel terzo si parla ... de pesci. Nel quarto si mostrano le liste del presentar le vivande in tavola ... Nel quinto si contiene l'ordine di far diverse sorti di paste ... Nel sesto ... si ragiona de' convalescenti, et molte altre sorti di vivande per gli infermi. Con il discorso funerale che fu fatto nelle essequie di Papa Paulo III. Con le figure che fanno bisogna nella cucina, et alli Reverendissimi nel Conclave.

A selection of knives.

A selection of knives

Egyptian flint knives, predynastic.

Knives and lancets for abscesses

African surgical instruments, knives, lancets etc. Display groups from Nigeria, Congo.

African surgical instruments, knives, lancets.

The double-blade knife for cutting fine sections was introduced by Gabriel Gustav Valentin. These examples are modifications of Valentin's original pattern.

Knives for cutting fine sections.

Egyptian and Predynastic flint knives

Knives used for cataract operations, including those used by Daviel.

Knives used for cataract operations.

Egyptian flint knives, finely worked.

Haemorrhoids or varicose veins may have been treated using these steel surgical knives. In the past, surgery in Traditional Chinese Medicine was confined to minor operations. Today, acupuncture is sometimes used to numb patients during some surgical procedures.

maker: Unknown maker

Place made: China

Knives for surgery, China, 1801-1920

An itinerant musician playing to an audience using an instrument that is partly made out of an animals bladder. Drypoint.

1 print : engraving ; platemark 11.5 x 25.2 cm

Two knives with ornate handles, incorporating human figures and ornament in the grotesque style. Engraving by C. Alberti, after F. Salviati, 1575/1600?

Illustration of Greek and Roman Knives etc.- surgical instruments

Greek and Roman Knives etc,-Surgical Instruments

Rosset's third plate: straight knife, crooked knives (2-4)

Rosset's third plate: surgical knives (2-4)

Beni Hassan report, Artisans manufacturing flint knives.

Iron Age knives from Dechelette, Manuel d'Archeologie

Woodblock illustration of surgical instruments/ instruments of external medicine from Waike xinfa zhenyan zhinan (Guide to Tried and True Methods at the Heart of External Medicine), published in 1887 (13th year of the Guangxu reign period of the Qing dynasty). The pointed cautery iron (jian lao), square/blunt cautery iron (fang lao), annular type (quan shi), depressor type (ya shi), hoe type (chu shi), iron spill (tienian), sickle type (lian shi) and depressor type (yashi) were all instruments employed in Chinese medicine for surgical or external treatment. The pointed cautery iron had a sharp tip. After being heated until red hot, it was used to pierce and cauterize septic boils and ulcers and bring them to a head, drawing the malignities and poisons (xiedu) together. The square/blunt cautery iron was similarly used to cauterize large boils, and served to dissipate the poisons. The annular type was used to isolate lesions during cauterization, to avoid damage to the surrounding tissue. In cases where medication could not easily be applied directly to a lesion, the depressor type offered an extremely convenient means of administering external treatment. Where decayed flesh could not easily be excised from a lesion, it could be gently removed using the hoe type. If the opening of a lesion was obstructed by tissue and purulent matter, the iron spill could be used to unblock it, allowing the pus to drain spontaneously. If the opening of a lesion was constantly oozing pus, it could be clamped together with tweezers, and then cut off using the sickle type. The depressor type was used chiefly to depress the tongue to allow access to the throat for examination, surgery, or the administration of drugs, by insufflation or otherwise.

Chinese woodcut: Types of knives and needles (3)

Woodblock illustration of surgical instruments/ instruments of external medicine from Waike xinfa zhenyan zhinan (Guide to Tried and True Methods at the Heart of External Medicine), published in 1887 (13th year of the Guangxu reign period of the Qing dynasty). The long-type oblique knife (changshi xie dao), long-type pointed knife (changshi jian dao), concave-type knife (neiwanshi dao), convex-type knife (waiwanshi dao), insufflation tube (chui guan), medication drum (yao gu), single hook (dan gou) and double hook (shuang gou) were all instruments employed in Chinese medicine for surgical or external treatment. The long-type oblique knife had a long blade with a sharp cutting edge, which made it suitable for operating on the throat. The long-type pointed knife had a sharp point and was suitable for piercing the throat to let blood (dianci). The concave and convex knives were both used for excising decayed subcutaneous tissue. The insufflation tube was a long, slender pipe, used for introducing drugs into the body by blowing. The medication drum was a spoon-shaped implement, used for the application of drugs to the throat by insufflation. The single and double hooks were implements with hooked tips, used to remove decayed subcutaneous tissue.

Chinese woodcut: Types of knives and needles (2)

Woodblock illustration of surgical instruments/ instruments of external medicine from Waike xinfa zhenyan zhinan (Guide to Tried and True Methods at the Heart of External Medicine), published in 1887 (13th year of the Guangxu reign period of the Qing dynasty). The small iron bow (xiao tiegong), large iron bow (da tiegong), large drug spoon (da yaoshao); tweezers (niezi), silver needle (yin zhen) steel needle (gang zhen), ivory needle (ya zhen) and long-beam needle (changleng zhen) were all instruments employed in Chinese medicine for surgical or external treatment. The small iron bow was mostly used in dentistry to lift aside the interior of the cheek so as to examine the teeth, and to apply drugs. The large iron bow was used to investigate the deeper reaches of the oral cavity, when examining the oral cavity itself and the visible parts of the throat. The large drug spoon was mostly used to apply medication to the mouth and tongue. The tweezers were often used to nip off decayed or festering tissue from lesions. The silver needle was mostly used to used to lance boils, to allow blood and pus to drain. In the case of a lesion where no open sore was present, the iron needle could be used to allow treatment by creating an aperture into which drugs could be introduced by means of a medication spill (yao nian). The ivory needle was long and slender in form; being soft and pliable, it could be used to apply drugs to the eye area.The long-beam needle) was often used to puncture (dianci) the throat to release and purge poisons and blood.

Chinese woodcut: Types of knives and needles (4)

Woodblock illustration of surgical instruments/ instruments of external medicine from Waike xinfa zhenyan zhinan (Guide to Tried and True Methods at the Heart of External Medicine), published in 1887 (13th year of the Guangxu reign period of the Qing dynasty). The scissors (jianzi), 'oblique teeth' (xie ya), scraper (gua dao), small spoon (xiao shao), sharp-edged knife (jianren dao), single-bladed knife (danren dao), two-bladed knife (erren dao), three-edged needle (sanleng zhen), four-edged needle (sileng zhen), and small steel scoop (xiao gang chan) were all instruments employed in Chinese medicine for surgical or external treatment. The scissors were generally used to cut away festering or decayed tissue. The 'oblique teeth' were used to dispense the correct amount of a drug. The scraper was used to scrape away tongue coating, ringworm, pus etc. The small spoon was used to apply medication to inaccessible parts of the body. The remaining items are all small, sharp instruments which could be used ad hoc according to the clinical circumstances.

Chinese woodcut: Types of knives and needles (5)

Spear-heads or knives bifacially worked in flint

Lithotomy knives.

Iridectomy knives label

A selection of knives

Egyptian flint knives, predynastic.

Egyptian flint knives, predynastic.

Egyptian flint knives, predynastic.

Knives and lancets for abscesses

African surgical instruments, knives, lancets.

African surgical instruments, knives, lancets.

Knives for cutting fine sections.

Egyptian and Predynastic flint knives

Knives used for cataract operations.

Egyptian flint knives, finely worked.

Knives for surgery, China, 1801-1920

An itinerant musician playing to an audience using an instrument that is partly made out of an animals bladder. Drypoint.

Two knives with ornate handles, incorporating human figures and ornament in the grotesque style. Engraving by C. Alberti, after F. Salviati, 1575/1600?

Greek and Roman Knives etc,-Surgical Instruments

Rosset's third plate: surgical knives (2-4)

Beni Hassan report, Artisans manufacturing flint knives.

Iron Age knives from Dechelette, Manuel d'Archeologie

Chinese woodcut: Types of knives and needles (3)

Chinese woodcut: Types of knives and needles (2)

Chinese woodcut: Types of knives and needles (4)

Chinese woodcut: Types of knives and needles (5)

Spear-heads or knives bifacially worked in flint.

Be the first to know

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Lithotomy knives.

Iridectomy knives label

A selection of knives

Egyptian flint knives, predynastic.

Egyptian flint knives, predynastic.

Egyptian flint knives, predynastic.

Knives and lancets for abscesses

African surgical instruments, knives, lancets.

African surgical instruments, knives, lancets.

Knives for cutting fine sections.

Egyptian and Predynastic flint knives

Knives used for cataract operations.

Egyptian flint knives, finely worked.

Knives for surgery, China, 1801-1920

An itinerant musician playing to an audience using an instrument that is partly made out of an animals bladder. Drypoint.

Two knives with ornate handles, incorporating human figures and ornament in the grotesque style. Engraving by C. Alberti, after F. Salviati, 1575/1600?

Greek and Roman Knives etc,-Surgical Instruments

Rosset's third plate: surgical knives (2-4)

Beni Hassan report, Artisans manufacturing flint knives.

Iron Age knives from Dechelette, Manuel d'Archeologie

Chinese woodcut: Types of knives and needles (3)

Chinese woodcut: Types of knives and needles (2)

Chinese woodcut: Types of knives and needles (4)

Chinese woodcut: Types of knives and needles (5)

Spear-heads or knives bifacially worked in flint.

Be the first to know

Wellcome collectionWellcome Collection

Finding us:

Opening times:

Today's opening times

Wellcome collection