MEDICAL ANTIQUES ARCHIVES
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A c. 1840s oil portrait of Dr. John William Schmidt, Jr. (1811-1858), a New Yorker. Dr. Schmidt was a close friend to the well-known surgeon Dr. Valentine Mott, and, fittingly, in the painting, Schmidt is holding upright a book titled Mott's Velpeau. Dr. Mott's translation of Alfred-Armand-Louis-Marie Velpeau's Operative Surgery was published in 1847. Schmidt is noted as the first visiting surgeon to St. Vincent's Hospital, New York. The painting has an appealing hint of primitiveness. Ex New York Academy of Medicine.
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An antique Cammann stethoscope with Knight's screw-controlled tension of the ear tubes, as introduced in the 1860s. The antique binaural stethoscope has two bells, the wider for general sounds such as the lungs and the thinner for localized sounds such as heart. To have both original bells is a rarity.
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A c. 1860 antique craniotomy forceps by George Tiemann & Co., New York. This particular fetal destruction instrument was devised by Dr. Charles Delucena Meigs (1792-1869), professor of obstetrics at Jefferson Medical College from 1841-1861. See Tiemann, p. 551, fig. 3817.
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A c. 1900 penis cupping apparatus made of glass and metal. A vacuum is created in the glass tube by turning a crank. The instrument is listed in medical catalogues of the time as a penis congestor and as a penis enhancer. Tiemann 1889, p. 817, lists a penis congestor, but was, perhaps, too discrete to illustrate it. This is one of the more unusual urological antiques.
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A fine c. 1870 antique hypodermic syringe set in fitted-case. The mounts are in solid silver and the glass cylinder is wheel-engraved with volume demarcations. This is a high quality and completely original antique hypodermic syringe set.
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A rare 18th century antique magnifying glass marked: AYNS[WOR]TH THWAITES / No. 4 / ROSOMAN STREET / CLERKENWELL. The eye glass dates to before 1751 when Aynsworth Thwaites' sons joined with George Jeremiah Reed to form the noted London clock making company Thwaites & Reed.
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A fine Civil War surgeon's pocket Colt revolver with matching serial numbers 206433, indicating an 1862 manufacturing date. The barrel is 5" long and the rifling is sharp. Both it and the frame retain areas of original bluing, and the brass trigger guard and grip strap have much of their silver-plating. In addition, the walnut scales have their original varnish. The cylinder scene is crisp and the action is strong. The butt strap is engraved: S.G. Gordon, M.D. Dr. Sidney C. Gordon (1840-1924), of Georgetown, Ohio, served as assistant surgeon and surgeon in the 59th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (59th O.V.I.) from August 1862 to November 1864, then in the 189th OVI. He was present at the battles of Stone River and Chickamauga. Surgeon Gordon was captured by the Confederates at Chickamauga and paroled in September of 1863. During the Atlanta Campaign, he served at the General Hospital Chattanooga. Surgeon Gordon's military file from the National Archives has been copied. For the history of the 59th OVI, see http://www.ohiocivilwar.com/cw59.html.
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A fine c. 1890 classical head ophthalmophantome that was cast in iron and sold by George Pilling & Son, Philadelphia. The phantome was used to teach ophthalmic surgery with practice upon a pig's eye that was placed into the eye bracket. The screw at the center of the neck allows the head to be tilted back. This full classical head is the most desirable of the various types of ophthalmophantomes.
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A fine box for bloodletting cupping instruments with silver cartouche engraved: TO / MATTHEW MATHER, M.D. / With a Case of Cupping Instruments / from a Number of Friends / as a token of their Esteem / 1840.
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A c. 1900 antique circumcision knife marked: H. PAPE / NACHF[o]L[ger]. The handle scales are ivory. Pape is thought to have been in business in Memling, East Prussia, modern day Klaipėda, Lithuania.
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A c. 1870s antique hypodermic syringe set with original glass stoppered solution bottle and case. This is known as Buzzard's hypodermic syringe and it is featured in the Arnold & Sons, London, catalogue of 1876. The fittings are silver and the gold needle is described as a trocar point. The upper silver sleeve is lightly engraved: Bedford Fenwick / May 1876 / London Hospital / Mile End. Dr. Bedford Fenwick (1855-1939) was a prominent London physician and the husband of Ethel Bedford Fenwick (1857-1947), who was in the forefront of advocating the training and registration of nurses. Located in the East End, the London Hospital, now named the Royal London Hospital, dates its founding to 1740.
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A mid-19th century antique vaccinating lancet marked: I. STREISGUTH. Streisguth was a surgical instrument maker based in Strasbourg. Note the groove in the blade which channeled the smallpox vaccine.
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Samuel David Gross, A Manual of Military Surgery. 186 pp. Philadelphia: Lippencourt, 1862. The cover of this Civil War surgical manual is embossed with the American eagle, flag, and shield.
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A highly portable c. 1870s antique Dr. Sansom's clinical hypodermic syringe. The pencil case of this compact antique subcutaneous injection syringe is sterling silver. Dr. Arthur Ernest Sansom (1838-1907), of London, was an authority on heart diseases, antisepsis, and the use of chloroform.
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A c. 1800 urological catheter set in original shaped-case. Both male antique catheters are solid silver, the larger marked with the maker's initials JM.
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A selection of c. 1890 dental forceps by Chevalier, New York. Included is a Cyrus Fay's antique dental upper excising forceps which was introduced c. 1835. Fay (1778-1839) was award a silver medal by the Society of Arts for its design. Besides being a dental instrument maker, Chevalier is renown for its American bowie knives.
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