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

  • Milne, John Stewart, 1871-
Date:
1907
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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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    PROBES GrKEEK, p-far], Koitapiov, inraXenrTpov, vttclXg lttt pis; Latin, specillum. This is a very comprehensive class. The original specil- lum was no doubt a simple sound. Varro thus defines the specillum : ' Quo oculos inunguimus quibus specimus specil- lum est. Graecis /x^A.?/ dicitur.' Thus it meant a probe or sound. fxriXr] is probably derived from an apple or fruit, from the olivary enlargement at the end of a sound. The term virdXtiiTTpov, which is frequently used by Hippo- crates, originally meant an ointment spatula, being derived from vira\€i(f)o), to spread ointment. But the custom of com- bining two instruments on one shaft gradually led to the application of these terms, especially the term specillum, to denote a large variety of instruments. The name Ko-ndpiov is evidently derived from the resem- blance of the probe to the pestle, which was such a frequent utensil in Greek homes. It is connected with Ko-navov, 'pestle,' K<ynavi(TTr\piov, ' mortar,' and KoiraviCo), ' bray,' and Ko-rndpiov, a medicament pounded in a mortar (Dioscorides, iv. 190). The exact significance of the term Ko-ndpiov is sometimes difficult to determine. It is easy to prove that in general it is merely a sound. Thus Paul (VI. lxxviii), in quoting a passage from Hippocrates, substitutes Konapiov for the word /jwjAtj, which Hippocrates uses to denote the sound used for exploring a fistula. Throughout this chapter, in which the word occurs ten times in all, Briau translates it by ' manche du scalpel \ although the whole context shows that a probe is meant. Even where it is spoken of as an eyed E 2