Surgical instruments in Greek and Roman times / by John Stewart Milne.

  • Milne, John Stewart, 1871-
Date:
1907
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Surgical instruments in Greek and Roman times / by John Stewart Milne. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    portion with a sharp point (PL IX, fig. 1). The narrow point was passed into a fistula, caught, and the whole instrument pulled outwards by means of it, thus dividing the overlying tissues with the falciform blade. This instrument remained in use till comparatively recent times. Heister figures a large number of varieties, and from him I have taken the figure shown, although it is also described and figured by Fabricius. The two following passages, taken in conjunc- tion with each other, show that the classical instrument was of the form I have indicated. The first passage, from Galen, shows that the end of the blade was blunt, and that there was only one cutting side. The second, from Paul, shows that the blade was falciform and was operated in the manner I have stated. Galen (x. 415) says that in enlarging an abdominal wound we use a fistula knife (avpiyyoTop.^). 1 But the scalpels which are two-edged or have a point are distinctly to be avoided' (ra 6' apL(f)i)K7] t<ov ixayaipioov rj Kara to iripas o£ea ttclvtl rpoir^ cfrevKTea). Secondly, Paul (VI. lxxviii) says : ' Having perforated the bottom of the fistula with the point of the falciform part of the syringotome (tov hpeirdvov tov avpiyyoToixov) bring the instrument out of the anus and so divide all the intervening space with the edge of the falciform part' (rfj aK/xrj tov hptitdvov). Another passage in the same chapter indicates that some of the syringotomes had an eye in the instrument: Ttves be h> rw rpr\p.ari tov avpiyyiaKOV bpeirdvov to kivov eveC- pavTes. There was also a straight variety of the instrument (ra KaXovjjieva opOd o-vpiyyoTOjxa, Paul, VI. lii). Curved Made cutting on two edges. A curved blade of a somewhat unusual type is described by Galen in discussing the dissection of the thorax (ii. 673). However, the description is unmistakably clear. He says: XpfjaQaL 6* avTr/s /xaAtcrra ra> KVpTy fiipti Kex^^vpiivqs ofioicos