Obstetrical forceps, which consist of three joining parts, (a) right blade and handle, (b) left blade and handle, and (c) pivot screw; the blade and handles are both single pieces of metal with flat, slightly curved handles that have a semicircular curved end and rounded outer ends; the top of the …
Obstetrical forceps, which consist of three joining parts, (a) right blade and handle, (b) left blade and handle, and (c) pivot screw; the blade and handles are both single pieces of metal with flat, slightly curved handles that have a semicircular curved end and rounded outer ends; the top of the handles flatten at a 45° turn and join together with a pivot; one side (a) has a round hole with threading on its inner edges and the other (b) has a rounded notch cut into the metal; a pivot screw (c) goes through both pivot holes and screws into the threaded hole to securely hold both handles/blades together; the pivot screw consists of a solid, cylindrical metal section with threading on its outer edges that flattens and flares out to a flat, rounded thumb and finger grip piece; above the pivot area, the blades begin; the blades turn at a 45° angle, flare out, and curve outwards to form elongated oval concave blades with rounded tips and edges; the blades curve outwards away from each other, as do the handles; the outside edges of the handle sections have a cross-hatched grip stamped into the metal; the handles/blades cross over each other to form an X shape at the pivot.
Number Of Parts
3
Part Names
a - right blade and handle - Size: Length 43.4 cm x Width 8.9 cm x Depth 8.3 cm
b - left blade and handle - Size: Length 43.4 cm x Width 4.5 cm x Depth 9.2 cm
c - pivot screw - Size: Length 2.8 cm x Width 1.8 cm x Depth 1.0 cm
Provenance
Collected by Dr. A. A. Travill for the Queen's University Faculty of Medicine Collection.
(a,b) Both blades have the number "4" stamped into the metal near the pivot; (b) the outside left blade has "W & H // HUTCHINSON // SHEFFIELD" stamped into the metal near the pivot; (c) none
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-D7-2
Condition Remarks
The metal shows wear and some loss of plating; no corrosion is visible
Copy Type
Original
Reference Types
Document
Book
Reference Comments
Previous number #50; Faculty of Medicine Collection 1984 Inventory; "Antique Medical Instruments," by C. Keith Wilbur, 1987, p. 104 (similar to Wallace's forceps)
Exhibit History
Hall of Honour, KGH - "Beyond Ether: 150 Years of Anaesthesia" - Sept. 27, 1997- June 2011