Main
Accoucheur's Antique
7xCoke Home

Medical Antique Collection

Destructive OB Instruments

OB Forceps

OBGyn Sets

OBGyn Devices

 Fact Files 

Vaginal Speculum

Obstetric Sets and Cases OB Sets Logo
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
Cased ob set 3a
Cased ob set 1 Cased ob set 1a
Large English Obstetrical Set
Mahogany case with red velvet lining.  Marked Charriere Collin, Paris. Circa 1850s
Blot's arrow perforator Blots Arrow Peforator
Butler's scarificator Butler's Scarificator
Cleidotomy scissors 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 Embryotomy forceps

Fig 3795, p550 Tiemann
OB forceps OB Forceps

Ebony handle with upturned knob  in the end. Unplated steel.
Robin's resuscitator Robin's Insufflator

Inserted inside the fetus' endotracheal tube for resuscitation. Fig 3794 pg 548 Tiemann.
roll ?
Scholler cord carrier 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 Simpson's Cephalotribe

Heavy unplated steel with French lock.
Fig 3821 pg 552
Tarsitani forceps Dubois  OB Forceps

Blunt and crochet end of handle.
Uterine knife Bistoury

Used to cut pubic bone joint (Pubiotomy)
 

                              GYNECOLOGY SET ON A LEATHER BAG
1886 gyn set
1886 gyn set bag
1886 label Chemist prescription dated 1886 Sachet bk
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 1 Monaural stethoscope 2 Monaural Stethoscope

Two-piece bakelite monaural stethoscope.
Blunt hook
Braun's Decollator

Ebony- ivory handled destructive obstetric instrument.  Decapitation was accomplished by introducing the blunt hook around the fetal head.
Simpson's perforator Simpson's Perforator

Unplated steel.  Signed: Wickert Munchen.
OB Forceps OB  Forceps

Rubber handle with English lock and upturned knob at the end . Signed:  Wickert Munchen.
Ricord's spec Ricord's  Bivalve Vaginal Speculum
Ferguson spec 1 Ferguson Speculum

With internal mirror finish.
Segala tri-valve spec 1 Segala tri-valve spec 2 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 small set 1
ob small set 1a

                                                          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.
ob canvas bag
ob set canvas open


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.


obset7a
obsrt3
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.

obsetebony
Destructive OB Set of 3

Blunt hook, crochet, and a vectis.

   Back to Top

All statements in this web page regarding date, age, and origin are statements of opinion.  All photos and materials on this web page are protected by copyright laws.  Please obtain direct  permission fromF.C. Gapultos, Jr.to use any and all materials on this site, including photographs and drawings.