Biomaterial Database

[From the history of surgical instruments: 3. The dressing forceps (16th century)]. 1995

M Sachs

Klinik für Allgemeinchirurgie, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main.

The dressing forceps ("Kornzange") is one of the very few surgical instruments that have extensively preserved its form, its function and even its name throughout the centuries. In the Germany of the 16th century, the dressing forceps was mentioned as a widely used instrument among the barber-surgeons (Stromayr 1559, Ryff 1559). At that time, it mostly found use as a foreign body removing forceps. The dressing forceps can be traced back until today in German or English surgery instrument-books in nearly unchanged shape.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D005858	Germany	A country in central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark. The capital is Berlin.
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013525	Surgical Instruments	Hand-held tools or implements used by health professionals for the performance of surgical tasks.	Clamps, Surgical,Clips, Surgical,Clips, Tantalum,Forceps,Hooks, Surgical,Plugs, Surgical,Scissors, Surgical,Speculum,Surgical Clamps,Surgical Clips,Surgical Hooks,Surgical Plugs,Surgical Scissors,Surgical Valves,Trocar,Valves, Surgical,Clamp, Surgical,Clip, Surgical,Clips,Hook, Surgical,Instrument, Surgical,Plug, Surgical,Surgical Clamp,Surgical Clip,Surgical Hook,Surgical Plug,Surgical Valve,Valve, Surgical,Clip,Clip, Tantalum,Forcep,Instruments, Surgical,Speculums,Surgical Instrument,Tantalum Clip,Tantalum Clips,Trocars
D049669	History, 16th Century	Time period from 1501 through 1600 of the common era.	16th Century History,16th Cent. History (Medicine),16th Cent. History of Medicine,16th Cent. Medicine,Historical Events, 16th Century,History of Medicine, 16th Cent.,History, Sixteenth Century,Medical History, 16th Cent.,Medicine, 16th Cent.,16th Cent. Histories (Medicine),16th Century Histories,Cent. Histories, 16th (Medicine),Cent. History, 16th (Medicine),Century Histories, 16th,Century Histories, Sixteenth,Century History, 16th,Century History, Sixteenth,Histories, 16th Cent. (Medicine),Histories, 16th Century,Histories, Sixteenth Century,History, 16th Cent. (Medicine),Sixteenth Century Histories,Sixteenth Century History
D019024	Barber Surgeons	In the late Middle Ages barbers who also let blood, sold unguents, pulled teeth, applied cups, and gave enemas. They generally had the right to practice surgery. By the 18th century barbers continued to practice minor surgery and dentistry and many famous surgeons acquired their skill in the shops of barbers. (From Castiglioni, A History of Medicine, 2d ed, pp402, 568, 658)	Surgeons, Barber,Barber Surgeon,Surgeon, Barber