Rare complete package of Civil War Surgeon’s Needles, as in Medical Museum (SOLD)

This is a rare original Civil War medical piece being offered, it is a full package of surgeon’s needles, the type carried in their medical kits. The original paper package measures 2” x 1 ¼” and is marked on the outside “First Quality / Surgical Needles / Codman & Shurtleff / Manufacturers of / Surgical Instruments, Appliances, Etc. / Boston, Massachusetts”. Inside are the needles wrapped in black paper. Codman & Shurtleff was a supplier of surgical instruments during the Civil War.

These needles are curved throughout their entire length because this type was necessary when a wound was deeply seated. These needles are flat, not round and the edges are very sharp to actually cut while inserting. There are examples of Codman & Shurtleff needles in The Civil War Medical Museum in Frederick, Maryland (see pictures).

There are examples of these needles in “Pictorial Encyclopedia of Civil War Medical Instruments and Equipment” by Dr. Gordon Dammann (see pictures). I can only imagine how many of these needles were used during the Civil War. The whole package is in excellent condition and it comes in the glass top display case pictured.