Accoucheur's Antique

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Destructive OB Instruments

OB Forceps

OBGyn Sets

OBGyn Devices

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Vaginal Speculum

Majority of births, (98 %) were normal. The normal birth of a living child was the realm of the midwife. A few deliveries were difficult or obstructed. Problem labor were subdivided into obstructed and complicated deliveries. Obstructed labor was subcategorized as head, breech, and arm presentations. The head obstruction was the most common source of difficulty with an incidence of 6 to 12 per 1000. The 3 major complicated labor were: "Flooding" (hemorrhage), "Fits" (eclampsia), and "Puerperal fever". When the midwife has problems with obstructed labor or complicated labor, often times the baby is already dead, she summons a man midwife. During the 17th Century, male midwives only attended childbirth as a complement to the midwife. The man midwife carries with him a set of instruments to hasten the delivery of a child.

CASED ENGLISH OBSTETRICAL SET

English OB Set
Circa 1840s A complete set of OB instruments in mahogany wood case with velvet lining. The instruments are plated steel with ebony handles. Unmarked. The case is 41 x 22 x 10 cm in dimension.

	Delivery Forceps Instrument used to seize the head of the baby to hasten the delivery in cases of impacted head.
	Blunt Hooks Utilized for traction of neck or shoulder of the baby.
	Blot's Arrow Perforator Destructive forceps used to open the head (craniotomy) of the infant and break the skull itself.
	Braun's Cranioclast Powerful destructive craniotomy forceps. The smaller blade is introduced to the perforated skull, the larger blade is placed to the outer surface of the skull. The blades are locked and the fetus is extracted out.

LARGE OBSTETRICAL SET IN MAHOGANY CASE

Large English Obstetrical Set
Mahogany case with red velvet lining. Marked Charriere Collin, Paris. Circa 1850s

	Blots Arrow Peforator
	Butler's Scarificator
	Cleidotomy Scissors Large scissors used to decapitate fetal head, divide collar bones of the fetus on obstructed labor. Dividing the collar bones allowed the shoulders to collapse and thus allow delivery.
	Embryotomy forceps Fig 3795, p550 Tiemann
	OB Forceps Ebony handle with upturned knob in the end. Unplated steel.
	Robin's Insufflator Inserted inside the fetus' endotracheal tube for resuscitation. Fig 3794 pg 548 Tiemann.

	Scholler's Cord Carrier Insturment for holding or changing the postion of the umbilical cord. Used to reduce the umbilical cord in cord prolapse. Fig 3789 pg 584 Tiemann.
	Simpson's Cephalotribe Heavy unplated steel with French lock. Fig 3821 pg 552
	Dubois OB Forceps Blunt and crochet end of handle.
	Bistoury Used to cut pubic bone joint (Pubiotomy)

GYNECOLOGY SET ON A LEATHER BAG

1886 Gynecology Instrument Set

A rare complete set of gynecology instrument dated 1886 by Schmid Stuttgard in its original velvet lined leather bag. It consists of a bakelite monaural stethoscope, an ebony and ivory Braun's decollator, a Simpson's perforator and rubber hadled obstetric foceps. Also three rare vaginal specula: Ricord's bivalve, Ferguson's, and Segala tri-valve. There is an original folded chemist's prescription by Dr Hiller, dated February 1, 1886 with two sachets containing their original powdered camphor (often laced with opium).

		Monaural Stethoscope Two-piece bakelite monaural stethoscope.
	Braun's Decollator Ebony- ivory handled destructive obstetric instrument. Decapitation was accomplished by introducing the blunt hook around the fetal head.
	Simpson's Perforator Unplated steel. Signed: Wickert Munchen.
	OB Forceps Rubber handle with English lock and upturned knob at the end . Signed: Wickert Munchen.
	Ricord's Bivalve Vaginal Speculum
	Ferguson Speculum With internal mirror finish.
		Segala Tri-valve Speculum Tri-valve speculum with ebony introducer. Signed: Charriere.

1880 Doctor's Obstetrical Bag
with Obstetrical Instruments
by Sharp and Smith, dated 1880.

Illustrated on Keith Wilbur, M.D. 3rd Edition, 1998
Antique Medical Instr. The Doctor's Bag. pg. 86; Fig 3823, Tiemann.

	Blunt Hook Destructive instrument used to pull the fetal neck or fetal extremities.
	Ovum Forceps Instrument to remove products of conception during an abortion. Also used to remove retained placenta. Fig 3795. Tiemann
	Hunter's Depressor Utilized as a retractor for vaginal operations. Fig 3252, Tiemann.
	Naegele's Perforator To create a hole in the fetal skull (craniotomy), this destructive instrument is used in preparation for a forceps or crochet extraction. Fig 3797. Tiemann
	Uterine Sound This instrument is used to meaure the depth of the uterus and to distinguish a pelvic mass from an ovarian tumor.
	Thomas Craniotomy Forceps After perforating the fetal skull, this instrument is used to pull the skull of the fetus piecemeal or as a whole. Fig 3814, Tiemann.
	Mathew's OB Forceps Used to deliver the fetal head on difficult labor. It has a German lock, with ebony handle. Fig.3771, Tiemann.
	Perineorrhapy Set Included in the obstetrical bag are needles of varying sizes in tube containers and spools of silk sutures of different sizes to repair perineal laceration and episiotomy incisions after delivery.

OB Set in Leather Case
Circa 1820's A very rare English set of destructive obstetrical tools, including a Hamilton forceps invented in 1793. Instruments are unplated steel with ebony handles.


Conquet's Cranioclast	Crochet and Hook

Holmes' Cranioclast	Hamilton Forceps

Cranioclast with English lock	Hinged Vectis

Cased English Obstetrical Set
Circa 1870 by Henry Lewis A rare complete set of obstetrical instruments on wood case. Instruments are plated steel with ebony handles. Case is 44 x 16 x 8 cm in dimension.

	Blot's Perforator Fig 3804, Tiemann
	Simpson Forceps Fig. 3782, Tiemann
	Mieg's Craniotomy Forceps Fig. 3817, Tiemann
	Scalpel Used for Cesarean section or Symphisiotomy incisions.
	Blunt Hook and Crochet

OB Forceps On A Tin Case
Circa 1875 The case is oval shaped tin with loop handles at both sides and hinged lid with lock. It contains the Smith's forceps. The forceps is unplated steel with finely ribbed removable handles with hooked endings. It is 47 cm in length, marked Mathieu A Paris. This unusual tin case is 38 x 9 cm in dimension.

Cased OB Set Four obstetrical instruments on a wooden oak case. Instruments are unplated steel with ebony handles. From top to bottom row: Smellie's perforator, hook and crochet, obstetrical forceps, and the Simpson's cranioclast. Signed: Krohne and Sesemann, Manchester Sq. London. Circa 1870's.

Small Cased OB Set

Wood cased obstetrical set. Four ob tools in red velvet lining in fitted interior. From left to right: Hook and crochet, Naegele's perforator, ob forceps, hinged vectis. Signed: Evans

OB Set on Canvas Case
Set of six obstetrical nickel plated instruments on a canvas case. From top to bottom: Simpson's spring loaded perforator, Blunt hook and crochet, Uterine irrigator, Embryotomy forceps with French lock, OB forceps with finger ring, and Simpson cranioclast. Signed: Arnold & Sons, London.

German Roll of Obstetrical Instruments:

Circa, Late 19th Century.

From left to right: Leisnisch Kiewisch trephine instrument, Boer's spiked cranioclast, placenta forceps, Kehrer's cranioclast, blunt hook forceps, perforator, obstetrical forceps.
All signed Holzhauer except the placenta forceps which are signed Gruewald.


OB Set of 7 From left to right: Thomas perforator, vectis, cephalotribe, guarded hook and crochet with butterfly handle, folding uterine sound, uterine repositor, and embryotomy forceps. All signed: Tiemann.	OB Set of 3 From top to bottom: OB hook, Basilyst perforator, Conquest craniotomy forceps.

Destructive OB Set of 3

Blunt hook, crochet, and a vectis.

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