Galen 1

Introduction

The original instruments were excavated from the House of the Surgeon at Pompeii, so named because of the materials that were recovered there. In 1947, reproductions of these instruments were presented to the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library by the 8th Evacuation Medical Unit from the University of Virginia after its service in Italy during World War II. The collection is one of the best surviving examples of the tools at a surgeon's disposal in the first century BCE. Since there was relatively little innovation in surgery and surgical tools from the time of Hippocrates (5th century BCE) and Galen (2nd century CE) this collection is typical of surgical practice for nearly a millenium. In fact, the technology of some tools, such as the vaginal speculum, did not change significantly until the 20th century.

The following display presents images and summaries of the known uses of each instrument. The extant comments of medical writers from antiquity--including Oribasius, Galen, Soranus, Aetius, and the Hippocratic corpus--have provided scholars with some clues about the use of some instruments. Some instruments, such as mixing instruments and tweezers, probably had other household such as the application of cosmetics and paints.

BONE LEVER
Greek: mochliskos
(Image is the property of
The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, UVA)

From what Galen says, this instrument was used for levering fractured bones into position and may have been used for levering out teeth.

BONE FORCEPS
Greek: ostagra
(Image is the property of
The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, UVA)

Soranus (lxiv) says that in case of impaction of the foetal cranium, the head may be opened with a sharp instrument and the pieces of the skull removed with bone forceps. Paul Aigenita (VI.xc) says that in a depressed fracture of the skull "fractured bone is to be removed in fragments, with the fingers if possible, if not, with a bone forceps."

CUPPING VESSELS FOR BLOODLETTING (from three perspectives)
Greek: sikua
Latin: cucurbitulae

(Image is the property of The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, UVA)

The larger cupping vesssel would have been used for larger areas on the body, such as the back or thighs. The smaller vessel would have been applied to the arms.

TUBES TO PREVENT CONTRACTIONS AND ADHESION
Greek: motos molubous
Latin: plumbea fistula
(Image is the property of
The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, UVA)

After operations on the nose, rectum, vagina, etc., it was usual to insert a tube of lead or bronze to prevent contraction or adhesion and also to convey medicaments.

CLYSTER FOR ADMINISTERING ENEMAS
Greek: metregchutes
(Image is the property of
The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, UVA)


TILE CAUTERY
Greek: kauterion
Latin: ferrum candens
(Image is the property of
The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, UVA)


The cautery was employed to an almost incredible extent in ancient times, and surgeons expended much ingenuity in devising different forms of this instrument. The cautery was employed for almost every possible purpose: as a ‘counter-irritant’, as a haemostatic, as a bloodless knife, as a means of destroying tumours, etc.

PORTABLE PROBE CASE
Greek: kauterion
Latin: ferrum candens
(Image is the property of
The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, UVA)


This plain cylindrical case was used to store and protect the thin probes and curettes used by physicians. Hippocrates mentions a portable equipment case for use on housecalls.

MALE CATHETER
(Image is the property of
The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, UVA)


OBSTETRICAL HOOKS/ SHARP HOOKS
Greek: agkistron
Latin: hamus, acutus
(Image is the property of
The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, UVA)

Hooks, blunt and sharp, are frequently mentioned in both Greek and Latin literature, and served the same possible purposes we use them for: the blunt for dissecting and raising blood-vessels like the modern aneurism needle; the sharp for seizing and raising small pieces of tissue for excision and for fixing and retracting the edges of wounds. In dissection, many of the manipulations which we perform with the dissecting forceps were performed by the ancients with sharp hooks.

EPILATION FORCEPS
Greek: tricholabis
Latin: vulsella
(Image is the property of
The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, UVA)

By far the largest number of forceps of this type are not surgical instruments, but household implements. Many were used for epilation (hair removal) or by artists.

 

UVULA FORCEPS
Greek: staphylagra
(Image is the property of
The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, UVA)

In Aetius (II.iv.2), there is an interesting description of the amputation of the uvula by first crushing it in a forceps so as to prevent haemorrhage and then cutting it off. Hippocrates (I.63) mentions the uvula crusher as one of the instruments necessary for the outfit of the physician.

SCALPELS
(Image is the property of
The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, UVA)


SPATULA PROBES
Greek/Latin: spathumele
(Image is the property of
The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, UVA)

Almost every medical writer mentions the spathomele. It consists of a long shaft with an olivary point at one end and a spatula at the other. It was a pharmaceutical rather than a strictly surgical instruement. The olive end was used for stirring medicaments, the spatula for spreading them on the affected part. The spathomele was used by painters for preparing and mixing their colors. The very large numbers in which they are found would indicate that their use was not confined to medical men.

PROBES/CURETTES
Greek/Latin: cyathiscomele
(Image is the property of
The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, UVA)

The scope of the cyathiscomele in medical art is evidently, like the flat spathomele, to act occasionally as a sound, but mainly to mix, measure and apply medicaments. Some are adapted for use as curettes. The large numbers in which this instrument occurs would itself indicate that it was used for lay as well as medical purposes.

ÇAna Sayfa