This is a Hey's saw. It would have been used for skull surgery. It was designed by surgeon William Hey (1736-1819). Hey also gave his name to the Hey's amputation, Hey's internal derangement and Hey's ligament

This is a travelling leather operating case from the 19th Century. wrapped in a surgical canvas kit. The kit includes instruments such as five scalpels and four folding fleams/razors. The instruments are from a range of different instrument makers.

Le Baume d'Acier, 1850 by an unknown artist. This oil painting was inspired by the lithograph by Louis Leopold Boilly. The dentist is removing a maxillary central incisor tooth from his suffering patient.

There is no #WordOnWednesday this week but it will be back next week!

This is a dental elevator. The two claws have hollowed, tapered beaks, and are interchangeable by operating a serrated spring-loaded, self-locking device in the shaft.
#TriviaTuesday

We've got lots of lovely exhibitions for you to view on our website. You can learn about medicine in the Victorian era, Glasgow's lost hospital, the world's first successful brain tumour operation (which took place in Glasgow!), and much more. heritage.rcpsg.ac.uk/exhibits

'True Cut' written by ENT Surgeon David Alderson, will be performed on 14 June in Edinburgh. The play asks the question, 'What happens when things go wrong in healthcare?' It brings the hidden world of the operating theatre onto the stage.
Book heree: tinyurl.com/5b4puut5

For the first #TriviaTuesday of May we have this mid 19th century instrument. It is 145 cm in height and 7.5 cm in width. Any ideas what it is?

James Young Simpson died at the age of 58 #OTD , 1870. Simpson is known for discovering the anaesthetic properties of chloroform. His family were offered a burial spot at Westminster Abbey but they turned it down, opting to bury him at Warriston Cemetery in Edinburgh. #histmed

This wax anatomical model of the human face is from the mid 20th century. Models like this would allow students to study teeth and nerves. Each anatomical landmark is numbered.

OTD 1895 Lilian Murray became the first woman to qualify as a dentist in the UK The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Previously she attempted to enrol at the London Dental School but was refused entry to the building for fear of distracting male students, & was interviewed on the pavement outside the School!

Coming up this month at Surgeons' Hall Museums!

Full information about our events can be found on our website: bit.ly/3UlsmWP

We are looking for a name for this week's #WordOnWednesday !

This is a cannula, which can be inserted into the body to deliver or remove fluid. It is usually used in conjunction with a trocar needle.

Our lift will be undergoing some essential maintenance work on Friday the 3rd of May and as a result all levels of the museum will only be accessible by stairs.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

For the final #TriviaTuesday of the month we have this instrument from the early 19th century. It is made of silver and is 4.3 cm in length. Any guesses what it is?

Tourniquet's have been in use since 4th century BC. The Petit tourniquet was designed by Jean Louis Petit in 1718, who added the screw mechanism. It would have been used with a long surgical knife and bone saw during amputation to limit blood supply and reduce blood loss.

This curved trocar and cannula was used for the evacuation of the bladder per rectum is from the mid 19th century. The trocar is made of steel with an ebony handle and the cannula is made of silver.

Opium Tincture (Laudanum) is sometimes referred to as the “Aspirin of the Victorian Period.” It was a popular painkiller recommended for all sorts of ailments including coughs, rheumatism, and 'women's troubles.' This empty bottle is from the Wellcome Collection, London.