Bone Brush

[lelliott19]

Trephine or Bone Brush - During amputation, use of the saw resulted in bone dust. The "bone brush" was used to remove the bone dust from the saw or trephine.

http://www.medicalantiques.com/civi...SA_Trepanning_set_partial_later_unlabeled.htm

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

I just knew I'd be sorry, wondering what one might be. The embedded sharpening stone was a plus. The entire kit is full of very distracting and distractingly distressing looking pieces of metal, know their intent is inside humans somewhere. Surgeons of the day have all my respect.

 

[Patrick H]

I just knew I'd be sorry

That was my reaction, too!

 

[Schwallanscher]

I just knew I'd be sorry

i wasn't - i expected something like a saw-dust brush (the german word translates to joiner's brush) - and that's what i got. it looks quite similar. i will, however get mad if lelliot finds a photograph of this tool actually being used (especially a hd-photograph from some sort of reenactment)

 

[Waterloo50]

I read it and it was to late, some things cannot be unseen.

 

[Kip124thNY]

The instruments so meticulously in place in their wooden case reminding us of times past, the pain, the suffering and the "hospital conditions" that went with it. A tip of the hat to those who survived.

 

[Patrick H]

(the german word translates to joiner's brush)

Yes, the joiner's brush might sweep away dust from saw teeth, or the mouth of a fine plane, or a host of other situations.

 

[William G Hendry]

any idea what the tool in the lower box second from the bottom is for it looks scary.

 

[UCVRelics]

Great Post even though it gave me the willies

 

[lelliott19]

any idea what the tool in the lower box second from the bottom is for it looks scary.

Ill answer your question in another post and tag you. The instrument is interesting and even more interesting that it was seen as "an improvement!"

 

[EJ Zander]

Might be dumb question but wouldnt the moisture content in the bone dust be too high to brush away or are the bristles really firm?

 

[lelliott19]

Might be dumb question but wouldnt the moisture content in the bone dust be too high to brush away or are the bristles really firm?

Good observation. I think the bristles are natural boar bristles, so pretty stiff I would assume.

 

[EJ Zander]

And the blade in the bottom case is for the bone saw I assume. It appears that it has larger teeth for larger bone/ more aggressive cut? Interesting stuff!

 

[Pvt.Shattuck]

Many modern surgical tools appear pretty gruesome to the uninitiated. Its the idea of no antiseptics or anesthesia that freaks us out today. The period tubes and syringes used to inject mercury for the treatment of venereal disease give me the willies even more than these instruments.
I used to work in the health care industry for a surgeon. He told me that amputations used to be done with a straight cut, causing pain for the rest of the patients life. The bone must be cut back significantly so that muscle and tissue extend beyond the end of the bone.