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Surgical Set

National Museum of American History

Object Details

Description (Brief)
This small pocket case was presented to W. Stevenson by Patrick Heron Watson, F.R.C.S. Stevenson received 2nd prize in Surgery for the 1878-79 session at The University of Edinburgh. The set was made by the surgical instrument maker Young of Edinburgh whose shop was at 58 North Bridge. In the 1865-66 edition of the Edinburgh University Calendar Young's advertisement states "No charge for the Season for Sharpening" for those students who purchased their dissecting kits from his establishment. The leather covered case is rectangular in shape with rounded corners. The octagonal white metal escutcheon on the outer lid is elaborately engraved to Stevenson from Watson. Two brass plated clasps and hooks secure the bottom of the case to the lid. The interior of the case is lined in purple velvet. The set contains ten ebony handled instruments and include the following: curved probe bistourie; pointed curved bistourie, two scalpels, pointed straight bistourie, finger knife, two curved needles and a blunt hook.
Patrick Heron Watson (1832-1907) graduated with an M.D. from the University of Edinburgh in 1853. He was twice the President of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1878 and 1905, and served as Honorary Surgeon to Queen Victoria and Edward VII.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Mrs. M. B. McMillan
1879
ID Number
1991.0707.01
catalog number
1991.0707.01
accession number
1991.0707
Object Name
Surgical Set
surgical set
Other Terms
Surgical Set; Surgical Set; Pocket Case
Physical Description
metal, steel (overall material)
wood, ebony (overall material)
leather (overall material)
textile, velvet (overall material)
black (overall color)
purple (overall color)
Measurements
average spatial: 3.6 cm x 19.7 cm x 5.4 cm; 1 7/16 in x 7 3/4 in x 2 1/8 in
Place Made
United Kingdom: Scotland, Edinburgh
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Medicine
National Museum of American History
Subject
Surgery
Record ID
nmah_1091657
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a9-5dca-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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