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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    tear nor perforate the membrane, which being properly accomplished, cut the bone of the rib with two chisels placed opposed to each other' (ii. 686). Soranus (xxvii) refers to its use as a cautery: 1 After cutting off the umbilical cord, cauterize the um- bilicus with a heated reed, or the flat of a probe ' (tov irkartos T7]S jJLTlXrjs). An interesting passage in Aetius shows that it was used as a dissector in opening up an occluded vagina: 'Pass a sound into the cervix, and dissect with the spathomele below the spot marked out by the sound' (Aet. IV. iv. 96). This probably means blunt dissection only, as none of the spathomeles found have edges sharp enough to be actually cutting. Large numbers of this instrument have been found. It is the commonest surgical instrument in museums. It must be remembered, however, that not every spathomele is a surgical instrument strictly speaking, as pharmacopolists and even artists used exactly similar instruments. The average length of twenty specimens measured by me was 16 cm. Of this the nucleus occupies 1-5 cm., the spatula 6 cm. The average diameter of the nucleus is 7-5 mm. The width of the spatula averages 15 mm., but the size and shape of the spatula both vary considerably. The different varieties of shape will be better understood by a reference to the accompanying figures of actual specimens than from a written description. PI. XII, shows neatly formed specimens from various sources; the speci- men shown in fig. 3 having ornamental grooves along the length of the shaft. Figs. 3 and 4, PI. XIII show coarse, thick specimens, which are most likely to have been used for non-medical purposes. All have the characteristic oar- blade shape, though the outline varies greatly. In some the blade widens out at the end, so that the tip is broad and rounded. In others the blade slopes to a rounded point, or the point is quite acute. The edges of the blade are usually thick and blunt. In some specimens, however, the edges