AN ANTIQUE OBSTETRIC CROCHET WITH AN EBONY HANDLE C 1840. THE HOOK WOULD HAVE BEEN USED TO PULL DOWN LIMBS IN OBSTRUCTED LABOUR. AS A LIFESAVING PROCEDURE FOR THE MOTHER IN THE EVENT OF ARRESTED LABOUR OR FOETAL DEATH, THE CROCHET SECTION WAS ALSO USED AS AN INSTRUMENT OF DESTRUCTION. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN INSERTED THROUGH A PERFORATION IN THE FOETAL CRANIUM (BY PERFORATOR) IN ORDER TO EXTRACT THE OBSTRUCTING HEAD.
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A good group of four mid-19th century German obstetrical instruments all maker signed by O. Hornn, working in Leipzig ( see links that follows and note that sometime between 1860 and 1894 his firm was taken over by O. Moecke, also in Leipzig). The metal portions of these instruments are all mat-finish steel. We usually see polished steel or nickel-plating on instruments of this period.
3 early obstetrical instruments, lenght 36 cm
An early obstetric spoon or hevel, probably Dutch manufacture in the 1780’s. The stem with a hook is inlaid with red copper and a brass button at the end. Beautiful work of the blacksmith.
A fine pair of Hale’s short obstetrical forceps with checkered ebony handles. Maker: Sharp & Smith. Hale’s forceps were introduced in 1880 in two sizes: long and short. This, of course, is the short size. Length: 9″ or 23 cm. It would be hard to find a pair in better condition!
Left to Right
Vectis £160 SOLD
Sim’s speculum £90
Blunt hook £90
Long hook with cross hatched ebony handle £160
Blunt hook with detachable ebony handle £160
Trilene* inhaler for obstetric anesthesia made by Cyprane Ltd in Oxenhope,UK. “Hand-held by patient, this inhaler was used for obstetric analgesia. Comes in original, labeled, blue cardboard box that includes cylinder, face mask and no.5. key to charge. UK Pat. no 628709. Maker: Cyprane Ltd, Keighley England.” The inhaler, including mask, is in very good condition ( what you’re seeing in first image is the reflection of the camera and me holding it) ; the box shows wear. A similar example lacking mask is in the Sheffield (UK) Anesthesia Museum–see link below.
*” ‘Trilene’ is the brand name of the drug trichloroethylene, manufactured by Ayerst Laboratories. The chemical formula for trichloroethylene was discovered in 1863, and it became a popular analgesic in the 1940s and 1950s. It provides a light level of unconsciousness, and wears off quickly. ” Wood Library.
https://www.anaesthesiamuseum.co.uk/cyprane_trilene.html
Bedford’s Guarded Blunt Hook and Crotchet. This “instrument of destruction” was used for extracting a fetus that had died in utero. It was made by Bain & Brinkerhoff who worked in New York City from 1851-54. While metal has darkened in spots no rust or pitting are present. The handle is ebony and has a small stable hairline-see last image. According to Hibbard (2000: 103) :”Gunning S. Bedford (1806-1870) …was a founder of the Medical College of the University of New York where he became the Foundation Professor of Obstetrics.” He published his magnum opus, PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES OF OBSTETRICS, in 1861.
An Tarnier’s articulated bronze female pelvis and sacrum, last quarter 19th century, signed on the calibrated scale “ Baldinelli Milano.”. The remarkable realistic bronze pelvis measures 25 x 25 x 10cm overall, and is mounted by two steel pillars to a 23 x 51 cm wooden backboard. A bronze sacrum (the lower end of the vertebral column) is hinged to the board with a steel linkage and guide rod indexed against a linear scale graduated from 3 to 11 by halves, indicating the anterior / posterior diameter. Condition is very fine, noting one short break in the board, Total weight is 30 pounds!
The articulated pelvis (the “basin artificiel”) is illustrated in Witkowski’s 1887 L’arsenal Obstétrical in two forms, that of Tarnier constructed by Mathieu, and that of Fabri of Bologna (see attachment) as modified by Joulin and constructed by Collin. The latter is illustrated in various Collin catalogues, attributed to Tarnier, and so described here. Etienne Tarnier (1828-1897) was a French obstetrical surgeon, inventor of the Tarnier forceps (Garrison-Morton 6192). The model reproduces the anterior / posterior angle, important for diagnosing the need for Caesarean delivery for a particular patient. The first example of this wonderful bronze sculpture we have seen.
Look for shop information on www.vanleestantiques.com
PAJOT JOINTED FORCEPS BARE RESEMBLANCE TO CHARRIERE�S BUT HAVE AT ONE END OF THE HANDLE A BLUNT HOOK, THAT WHEN REMOVED, REVEALS A SHARP PERFORATOR WHILE THE OPPOSITE END TERMINATES IN A ROUNDED BALL THAT SERVES AS A BLUNT HOOK OR CAN BE REMOVED TO REVEAL A SHARP CROCHET.
LENGTH 45 CM AND SIGNED BY MATHIEU A PARIS.
PROFESSOR PAJOT (1816-1896) WAS BORN IN PARIS, STUDIED MEDICINE IN THE PARIS FACULTY AND GRADUATED IN 1842. HE WAS APPOINTED PROFESSOR OF OBSTETRICS IN 1862, AFTER HAVING BEEN A LECTURER TO MIDWIVES AT THE CLINIQUE FOR TEN YEARS AND HAVING ASSISTED PROFESSORS MOREAU AND PAUL DUBOIS. AS A PRACTICAL OBSTETRICIAN HE WAS ALMOST UNRIVALLED IN FRANCE AND WAS MADE A HONORARY FELLOW OF THE OBSTETRICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.
A NICE ANTIQUE OBSTETRIC FORCEPS. IT HAS A FINE CROSSHATCH EBONY HANDLE HANDLE AND THE METALWORK IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. SIGNED J & W WOOD ROBERTON, MANCHESTER AND IS 36 CM LONG.
A nice collection of 17 monaural stethoscopes, most of them obstetrical
