Trepanning set, English, c. 1731-1770.

Case of trephination instruments, c. 1731-1770. Trepanning is the removal of a piece of bone from the skull. The instruments are of a type introduced by Samuel Sharp (1700-1778) of Guy's Hospital, who wrote 'Treatise on the operation of surgery' (1739). The box is identical to those used by the London scientific instrument maker Benjamin Martin (1704-1782).