Civil War Surgeon’s Brass Bleeder (Fleam)

This is another nice piece being offered, it is a 19th century medical bleeder (fleam). The body is brass, and the two blades are steel. One of the blades is marked with “BORWICK”. In the closed position it measures 3” long. Borwick was a Sheffield, England company that was in operation from 1791 - 1860.

The blades were used to pierce the skin to release “bad blood”. Many Civil War surgeons continued the practice of bloodletting, simply because they had no other answer for treating the wounded or ill soldier. It can safely be said that this practice never benefited the patient and, in many cases, did more harm by causing infection.

There are examples of this bleeder in “Civil War Medical Instruments and Equipment”, by Dr. Gordon Dammann (see pictures). Also, there are excavated examples in “Civil War Relics & Artifacts, A Guide for the Historian, by Howard Crouch. There is also an example in the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg (see pictures). In my personal collection I have a bleeder that was found in Gettysburg and it is in my book “Battle of Gettysburg – The Relics, Artifacts & Souvenirs”. This would make a great addition to any medical or Civil War collection.