Summary
Saw - Post Mortem, circa 1850. Made: Disston, Henry & Sons Philadelphia U.S.A. Used for post mortems in a psychiatric hospital, Victoria Australia. The blade of the saw is very crude, almost unshaped. Surgical instrument catalogues of 1905 show the blade rounded at the end and protruding at the lower front corner. Has been suggested that it may have been used for dissecting the skull.
Physical Description
Post-mortem saw is a small carpenter's tenon saw. It has an almost straight tension blade of cast steel (very slightly tapered away from handle end,) a heavy, brass, fixed spine and very fine even teeth. It has a rather ornately shaped, wooden, carpenter's saw handle with horned hand-grip at the top which is attached to the top corner of the broader end of the blade, angled slightly upward by 2 brass rivets, one wider on the top bearing the trade mark.
Significance
Example of surgical equipment used in psychiatric hospitals in Victoria Australia
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation from Office of Psychiatric Services, May 1985
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Manufacturer
Henry Disston & Sons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America, Circa 1850
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Place & Date Used
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Inscriptions
CAST STEEL/HENRY DISSTON & SONS/WARRANTED/PHILAD'A. U.S.A. engraved on spine.
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Classification
Medicine & health, Mental health - mortuary, Tools & equipment
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Overall Dimensions
13 cm (Length), 38.5 cm (Height)
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Exhibition Collection Management
120 mm (Length), 380 mm (Width), 25 mm (Height)
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References
S. Maw, Son & Sons: Catalogue of Surgical Instruments, Appliances Aseptic Hospital Furniture and Surgical Dressings. London, 1905. and
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Keywords
Death & Mourning, Hospitals, Psychiatric Hospitals, Surgical Apparatus & Instruments, Saws, Making History - Psych Services
