This is a very nearly complete set of amputation instruments (we see only one missing piece) cased with a trephine for operations on the skull and beautifully lined in red. The tools have uniformly bright metal and black handles without nicks or losses. The trephine shows a wonderful blue on the steel and nice patina to the brass. The tools match one another and those marked are by Hernstein. He worked in New York City from at least 1843 and produced surgical sets before, during and after the war (up to about 1867,) among which were sets produced for the U.S. Army Hospital Department. This one has a civilian style key latch, but is of the period, the only way we know to more narrowly date it being by an address label, which this case does not have.

The inside of the lid carries the surgical saw, Hayes saw, brush, the handle for the trephine, etc. These are retained by a red faced inner lid held by pivoting clasps. The lower section houses the surgical knives, the tenaculum, the bottom of the trephine, etc. in the fitted recesses at right and has a divided tray at left containing a brass tourniquet with web strap, etc. The lid for the smaller section of the divided tray is present. If there was a lid over the tourniquet, it is gone. The only tool we see missing is a small pair of nippers, the recess for which is on a raised block at lower left.

The case itself is in very nice condition with good finish to the wood and untouched, medium patina to the brass bands and corners. The top is fitted with an inset clipped corner rectangular escutcheon plate that is plain and matches the lock plate on the front edge of the case.

Surgical kits can be visually pleasing and shocking at the same time, though most students of the war know that the bone-shattering wounds produced by Civil War muskets and rifles often left no alternatives for a wound to a limb. Anesthetics helped, but ironically let the surgeon spend more time spreading infection. Medical items are an interesting and specialized area of Civil War collecting, and a telling reminder of the war’s cost.  [sr] [ph:m]

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