WTB - Medical Instruments

[Redcoat Surgeon]

I am looking to add some extra medical instruments to my impression. I don't need anything fancy, just for public displays and to take out into the field. Some of the items that I am looking for are scalpels, forceps, scissors, etc.

Thanks,
John Ferrannini
67th NYSV

["Doc" Nelson]

Hi John!!
Are you looking for new or used? If new, may I suggest a couple of places to check out?

The first being, Ed Archer's site: http://civilwarmedbooks.com/medical.idc. You can purchase the instruments individually. I have one of his "Surgeon's Pocket Kit" (not the Surgeon's Pocket Kit II) but, I am planning on adding "Instrument Roll-up 6" kit from Dixie Leatherworks to my impression, and purchasing the instruments individually from Ed Archer to place in the kit.

For all of Dixie Leatherworks medical equipment, check out their site: http://www.dlwleathers.com/Pages/Pro...ory=ME#Heading.

Milk Creek Mercantile also has some medical instruments: http://milkcreek.com/shop/index.php?...80ua0kbuj9jc57.

A lot of what you buy, would depend on what you're looking to do with your impression. For me, I am focusing on a field dressing station. Surgeons wouldn't carry much out on the field, per se (Surgeon Richard Vickery, of the 2nd Michigan Infantry in his thesis titled "On the Duties of the Surgeon in Action" he states the following: "Next [after establishing the depot] he should see to the condition of his Hospital Knapsack with its dressings, ligatures [surgical threads], sponges, stimulants & c., also his instruments-a good pocket-case with perhaps a bullet forceps, being nearly all the instruments he is likely to need."). As there wasn't enough time to perform anything extravagant due to time, nor resources to perform such (in the terms of supplies, assistants, etc.).

[Redcoat Surgeon]

Hi Jimmy,

I already have an Archer kit, but there are a couple of pieces missing from it as Ed did not have those pieces at the time he put my kit together. I just wanted get some used pieces to add to my kit and put in my Field Medical Case from Dixie.

Cheers,
John Ferrannini
Asst Surgeon
67th NYSV

["Doc" Nelson]

Try eBay ... but, make sure they're correct before buying them. Don't make the same mistakes I did with buying incorrect instruments through them.

[Frederick14Va]

Aside from the usual array of commercial vendors... Over the years Ive found more instruments mixed amongst piles of tools and silverware at various antique and collectors shops than came with capital kits. We all have found kits that are frequently missing the bone roungers, scalpes and such. These frequently being used by great grandma to prune her rose bushes and get separated from the kit. These wayward items can turn up in unlikely places. Over time get mixed in with other articles because their true identity and purpose being lost with time. Ive found bullet forceps, bone roungers, catlin knives, and even a nice metacarpel hays saw in this fashion amongst piles of unlikely related fodder.

If you havent already I would highly recommend further research to be better able to identify what is and isnt period medical items. Never completely trust the label or claims that someone on ebay or the local antique mart has put on something. Tons of obvious post-war, modern and totally unrelated tool items out there being tagged as civil war medical something, that isnt. I started collecting period medical items over 30 years ago long before Ed Archer and his reproduction goods came along into the market. Back at that time ones only option was the originial. Prices at that time were still reasonable and obtainable. At that time the collector market for medical items was still far behind the usual buckle & button collector values. It took awhile for the medical to catch up into the mainstream of artifact collecting. But you can still find some good things out there obtainable if you have a good eye for it.