Civil War Medical Sets

This information is designed to assist Civil War Medical Impressionist when obtaining the correct medical sets and cases in order to  accurately "portray the Surgeons and Assistant surgeons that served both the United States Army and the Confederate army during the War Between the States.  Below are some of the various medical cases carried by Army Hospital Department (Medical Staff)  when they deployed on campaign. Sets varied depending on manufacturer, however, they basically contained the same items as annotated in the Stand Supply Table for General and Post Hospitals, the source from which Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons drew their supplies. Click on the thumbnails pictures for a larger view of the various cases and sets. 

Amputating Set

This set contained 1 x Capital Saw, 1 x Metacarpel Saw, 1 x Large Amputating Knife, 1 x Medium Amputating Knife, 1 x Small Amputating Knife, 1 x Large Catlin, 1 x Small Catlin, 1 x Scalpel, 1 x Tenaculum, 1 x Artery Needle, 1 x Artery Forceps, 1 x Artery Needle, 1 x Bone Forceps, 1 x Spiral Tourniquet, and 12 x Surgeon's Needles. The items were issued in a Mahogany Brass bound case with a Gutta-Percha (Outer) Pouch.  The case on the left is from the Alex Peck Collection. The case on the right is a reproduction from Ed Archer and Sons, and with the original instruments shown, is the property of the F. J. Schaller Jr. 

 General Surgical Set 

Often thought of as a larger "amputation set", this was in fact a different case with it's own large selection of instruments for more detailed surgical procedures. Though the instruments in the General Surgical Cases often differed slightly the one above contains 1 x Metacarpel Saw, 1 x Trocar, 1 x Ball Forceps, 1 x Gullet Forceps,   1 x Gullet Forceps, 1 x Artery Forceps, 1 x Dressing Forceps, 2 x Scissors (Straight and Curved), 1 x Artery Needle (with 4 points), 12 x Surgeon's Needles, 1 x Tourniquet, 1 x Small Amputating Knife, 1 x Small Catlin, 3 x Bistouries, 1 x Hernia Knife,  3 x Scalpels, 1 x Cataract Knife, 1 x Cataract Needle, 1 x Tenaculum, 1 x Double Hook, 6 x Steel Bougies, 6 x Wax Bougies, 3 x Silver Catheters, and 6 x Gum-Elastic Catheters. The set above also contains  1 x Trephine, 1 x Hey's Saw, 1 x Bone Brush and 1 x Elevator. The Revised Regulations (1863) indicated that the instruments were carried in 2 x Brass Bound Mahogany Cases. All of the sets pictured above are from the collection of Dr. Michael Echols. 

Pocket Set

This set was usually carried by the Assistant Surgeon as he set up the Primary Dressing Station near the battlefield. There, with the aid of his Orderly, only wound dressing and minor medical attention was rendered; all amputations and other major procedures being done at the Brigade or Divisional Hospital. These kits, either in a wood case or leather "wallet", contained a variety of items. Some cases had but a few few instruments while others had as many as 30. They varied greatly. This set should not be confused with the Exsecting (Resection) Case. A good example of the contents of a Pocket Case would be 1 x Probe-Pointed Bistoury, 1 x Long Probe-Pointed Bistoury, 1 x Straight Scissors, 1 x Knee Scissors, 2 x Probes,      1 x Flat-Curved Scissors, 1 x Gum Lancet,  1 x Tenaculum, 1 x Tenotomy Knife, 1 x Abscess Lancet, 1 x Director,  1 x Exploring Needle, 1 x  Spatula,  1 x Exploring Trocar, 1 x Double Canula, 1 x Silver Catheter, 6 x Surgeons Needles,  1 x Artery Needle, 1 x Large Scalpel, 1 x Small Scalpel, 1 x Artery Forceps, 1 x Bulldog Forceps, 1 x Curved Forceps, 1 x  Dressing Forceps, 1 x Needle Forceps, and 1 x Sharp Bistoury. 

Exsecting Set

The next example is the Exsecting (Resection) Sete which contained instruments used for performing a resection; a procedure used in lieu of amputating an extremity. These cases usually contained 1 x Bone Forceps, 2 x Sharp Bone Forceps, 1 x Forceps (for Sequestra), 1 x Chain Saw, 1 x Chisel, 1 x Gouge, 1 x Lenticular Knife, 2 x Spatulas, 1 x Trephine (Small Crown) and  1 x Ecraseur. The items were carried in a Brass Bound Mahogany Case.  ontained either some or all of the below listed instruments depending on the manufacturer. The above case is from the Collection of Dr. Michael Echols.    

Trephining Set

Trepanning was a surgical procedure wherein a hole is cut in skull in order relieve pressure on the brain due to swelling or to lift a compression fracture of the skull. This may sound barbaric and yet this procedure, which is still done today, was being performed over 3000 years ago. This standard issue case contained 2 x Trephines, 1 x Scalpel with Raspitor, 1 x Hey's Saw, 1 x Elevator and 1 x Bone Brush. The items were issued in a Mahogany Brass bound case. Of note, cases did vary slightly but essentially they contained the same items. The cases  pictured above is the property of the F. J. Schaller Jr. and Dr. Michael Echols.

Field Medical Cases

Field Medical Cases contained bandages, scissors, linen, dressings and medications (in japanned tins with cork stoppers). They were usually carried by the Orderly, who accompanied the Assistant Surgeon to the Battle Dressing Station while the Surgeon remained back at the Field Hospital where all of the major medical procedures were performed. The two main types are pictured above and all are exact copies of the originals hand made by Master Craftsmen Brad Bradley. The "tins" were made by Fred Schaller. The Cooledge Case (1863) is on the left and model 1861 (Kidney) case is on the right and both were made for F. J. Schaller Jr. by Brad Bradley. 

Hospital Knapsacks

Another item carried by the Orderly to the Battle Dressing Station was the Hospital Knapsack. These knapsacks carried additional dressing, bandages and Anodynes and varied in design. All examples models were made for F. J. Schaller by Mr. Brad Bradley from original patterns. The last photo is the Surgeon's Companion, Hospital Knapsack, and the Dunton Hospital Knapsack (in the back) which, again, were meticulously hand made by Master Craftsmen Mr. Brad Bradley. 

Medicine Chests

Each Surgeon carried one of these and they varied widely in design and number of medicines contained therein. The United States Dispensary (1858) and the Standard Supply Table for General and Post Hospitals listed 52 types of medicines that were issued in the Medical Pannier. One major supplier was the Edward R. Squibb Company of Brooklyn, New York. Htq In the field environment, however, many Surgeon's carried their own personal medicine "cases" which contained only the most essential medicines and these cases varied greatly in size and contents. as to size on contents. Medicine cases, unlike the Surgeon's Companions or Hospital Knapsacks, contained medicines in bottles rather than japanned tins. Most of the larger personal medicine cases were made of tin whereas the smaller ones were made of wood, some of which were covered in leather or brass bound.  Cases could measure anywhere from 12"x8"x6" to as large as 14"x21"x15". The medicine case on the left is in my collection whereas the one on the right is the property of Alex Peck, who has an outstanding website and has been very helpful to me in my research.