Spring Lancet Case

This leather lined wooden box, likely crafted in Austria, was designed to house two 19th-century spring lancets, a medical instrument used during the practice of bloodletting. In an era when many illnesses were believed to be caused by an imbalance of blood, or plethora, the practice of bloodletting was considered a cure all, where physicians carefully drained a precise amount of blood in an attempt to restore health and balance. The case’s design reflects both its practical function to carry spring lancets along with a broader social function. In the 19th century, surgical instruments communicated medical expertise, along with the prestige and social standing of physicians.
The box’s design is both practical and symbolic, reflecting the physician’s specialized expertise and social standing. The interior is crafted with two indents designed to securely cradle the instruments it held, emphasizing the specialized nature of medical tools and the practice surrounding them. The exterior leather lining and intricate craftsmanship suggest a high level of refinement, indicative of the owner’s elite status. The gilt zigzag pattern decorating the exterior enforces this message, situating the elite status of physicians within society.

This case functioned beyond its practical purpose by communicating the physician’s place in an elite field of specialists. Surgical cases served as a tangible expression of their owner’s expertise, education, and high social standing. In a time of medical advancement, this instrument case communicated that the owner was not only a skilled care provider, but also a respected and accomplished member of society.

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Crellin, J. K. “Domestic Medicine Chests: Microcosms of 18th and 19th Century Medical Practice.” Pharmacy in History 21, no. 3 (1979): 122–31. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41109169.

Davis, Audrey and Toby Appel. Bloodletting Instruments in the National Museum of History and Technology. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1979.

Fort, Gosia. “Treasures from the Rare Book Room: The Super Brief History of Bloodletting.” University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Library System, 2020. https://info.hsls.pitt.edu /updatereport/2020/september-2020/treasures-from-the-rare-book-room-the-sup er-brief-history-of-bloodletting/.

Kuriyama, Shigehisa. “Interpreting the History of Bloodletting.” Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences 50, no. 1 (1995): 11–46. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24623553.

Matthias, M.. "What Was the Science Behind Medical Bloodletting?." Encyclopedia Britannica, March 22, 2021. https://www.britannica.com/story/what-was-the-science-be hind-medical-bloodletting.

Osborn, Catherine. “The Spring-Lancet, A ‘Bloodstain’d Faithful Friend!’” Dittrick Medical History Center, 2017. https://artsci.case.edu/dittrick/2014/07/24/the-spring-lancet-a- bloodstaind-faithful-friend/#:~:text=To%20use%20the%20lancet%2C%20the,into%20 the%20patient%20%5B3%5D.

McKay, Hill, & Buckler, History of Western Society, p.