Amputation saw, London, England, 1823-1829
Despite resembling a carpentry saw and being less ornate than some earlier devices, this saw still provided a good environment in which germs could thrive. John Weiss was a surgical instrument maker based in the Strand, London, an ideal location from which to supply the nearby teaching hospitals with instruments and equipment. The company began in 1787 and still exists today as John Weiss & Sons, part of the Haag-Streit Group of manufacturing companies. It now specialises in ophthalmic instruments.
Object number:
A38397
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: amputation saw
Saw used for amputation. These tend to be instruments from the past, and were in common usage from c. 1500-1940 in Europe.
Glossary: amputation
Removal of part of, or a whole limb by surgery. Used to control pain or the spread of disease in the affected limb.