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Revolutionary War medical forceps, as in Revolutionary War Museum (ON HOLD,M)

Out of Stock

$235.00

Product Description

These are more early pieces coming out of a 60-year collection of French & Indian War, Revolutionary War, and War of 1812 artifacts. Much of the collection was artillery related, but also there is a good portion of personal and medical items. Being offered are two Revolutionary War medical forceps. The larger one measures 6 ½” x ¾” and the smaller one 4 ½” x ½”.  

Their primary purpose is to grasp, retract, or stabilize tissue. They may also be used to pack or extract sponges and small shrapnel pieces, pass ligatures, and stabilize and manipulate needles during suturing. In the NPS Revolutionary War Museum Guilford Courthouse, there is an exact example of these forceps shown (see pictures).

In 1775, the colonies had about 3,500 doctors. The leading Patriot physician, Dr. Benjamin Rush of Philadelphia, wrote a manual on keeping soldiers healthy, but diseases like smallpox, typhus, and malaria killed 10 times more men than injuries sustained in battle.

Hospitals were short-staffed and lacked supplies, medicine, and nutritious food. Conditions were primitive, surgical tools for extracting bullets, amputating limbs, and drawing blood were not sterilized. Many men died from minor, infected wounds. In time, better hospitals were designed, improving chances for recovery.

These instruments are in nice condition with no rust. This collection began in the late 1950s and was created by private acquisitions, closed museums, diggers, and divers. The collector meticulously displayed and cataloged every piece along with any known provenance.

This is the first time these instruments have been on the open market. They definitely merit a place in an advanced collection or museum.  As with all the pieces in this esteemed collection, a Certificate of Authenticity will be included. These pieces would make a great addition to any period display. They come in the glass top display case pictured.

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Quantity:
SKU:
0118251
Shipping:
$7.50 (Fixed shipping cost)