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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    As a cautery it was used to destroy the roots of hairs, which had been removed for trichiasis. Paul says: i We may apply a double olive or an ear probe (/^Aom'Sa) or some such fine instrument heated' (VI. xiii). In fistula in ano Paul says it may be used as a director to cut upon. ' Having introduced a sound or an ear probe (virofidWovres Koirdpiov rj ixr]\(t)Tiba) through its orifice, we cut the skin over it at one incision ' (VII. lxxviii). Illustrations of two ear probes are given. What I regard as the type is seen in PI. XV, fig. 5, which shows an instrument from the Eoman Hospital at Baden. Typical specimens are not by any means common. PL XV, fig. 2 shows another variety from my own collection. Screw Probes. On probes for wrapping round with wool we frequently raise a screw thread to enable the wool to adhere better. This useful contrivance was also known to the ancients. I give a figure of one in my possession. It was found in the Eoman Camp at Sandy (PI. XXI, fig. 5). It measures 9-7 cm. in length and is 1-5 mm. thick. The screwed portion occupies 7 mm. of one end. The other end is plain. The little instrument is well adapted for treating small cavities, such as an ear or a carious tooth by wrapping round the screw portion with wool and dipping in medicaments. Ear specillum for wounds. Greek, Tpavixarur] p.i]\ri; Latin, specillum vulnerarium. There was a special variety of ear specillum which was adapted for wounds. Paul (VI. lxxxviii) says: ' Stones and other missiles from slings may be removed by levers or the scoop of an ear probe adapted for wounds' [KvadCaKov rpaviiaTLKrjs /x?]Acor(5oj). This was probably an instrument on the same principle as the ear probe, i. e. a combined probe and scoop, but on a larger scale. Possibly it may have had a slight olivary enlargement. That it was large we learn from Galen's