Original Civil War Hinged Splint, maker marked. Click photo and "Detailed Description". (SOLD)
This is truly a great piece being offered, it is an original Civil War era Splint. It is a Hinged Arm Splint. It was used to stabilize the arm after resection surgery. The hinges were adjustable for the varied degree of the healing angle and a pin can be removed to adjust for the right or left arm. It is marked with the period maker "A.M. DAY" and number "2". There is an identical example of this splint in Pictorial Encyclopedia of Civil War Medical Instruments and Equipment, by Dr. Gordon DamannIn (see pictures) In the flat position it measures approximately 11 1/2" x 3 1/2".
The practice of military medicine during the U.S. Civil War contributed to the development of medical knowledge. Broken and shattered bones were frequent occurrences on battlefields. Treatment techniques were recorded in detailed reports by military physicians and were published in the Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion, written by Otis A. George and Joseph J. Woodward. The book's case studies of wounded soldiers, and its statistics about the nature of wounds and the effectiveness of various treatments, provided a basis for improved management of wounds and fractures in the decades that followed.
When a soldier received a wound to an extremity, more often then not there was also a broken bone (or bones) involved. The soldier with a wound which caused a broken bone could be treated as follows. After the surgeon probed the wound to remove any foreign material: bullet, pieces of bone, pieces of uniform etc., a dressing would be applied and the limb placed in some sort of splint or traction. Often surgeons were forced to use a piece of board or fence, but because of numerous broken bones, splints such as the one here were usually available. The use of a splint would provide better alignment of the extremity, thus preventing some common complications of broken bones: contracted, shortened extremities. It also allowed the wound to be dressed without disturbing its alignment and thus the healing of the bone. It is in excellent condition and still operational. This is a rare piece, so take advantage to add it to your Civil War collection. (SOLD)
Manufacturer: N/A
SKU: 0903111
