Description

A fine nickel-plate pair of Loomis’ placenta forceps by Codman & Shurtleff, working in Boston, C1880. Length closed: 13.75″

“Loomis’ placenta forceps (also frequently documented as Loomis’ ovum forceps) were introduced during the late 19th century. , appearing prominently in medical practice and literature by the 1870s. Historical medical collections and catalogs typically trace the manufacture and use of this specific style of instrument from roughly 1860 to 1922.” Lost: Miscarriage in Nineteenth-­Century Amer­i­ca Shannon Withycombe (2018)

“The forceps—frequently featuring a specialized revolving or scissor-like design—gained notable recognition in the United States when physicians began transitioning toward active instrumental management to clear retained placental tissue following miscarriages and abortions. This shift in clinical approach was heavily documented in late-1870s medical journals, including a widely referenced 1879 clinical paper written by Dr. Henry A. Martin specifically detailing the utility of Loomis’ forceps in managing pregnancy loss.” The Victorian Web