Spring Lancet Set Case Lid

This worn, leather lined wooden box, likely crafted in Austria, was designed to house 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.
Beyond this case’s practical use, it features several aspects of design intended to communicate competence and class to patients. Firstly, the box has a leather exterior lining, suggesting an elegant simplicity to the physician's medical approach. However, upon opening the box, two different decorative papers are used to mark the status of the owner. The exterior marbled paper has all but faded away, leaving behind only the ink that transferred to the structural wood of the case. However, the interior marbled paper remains mostly intact, depicting pleasant floral motifs, distancing the gore of surgical practice from the gentlemanly identity of the medical provider.
This case functioned beyond its practical purpose by communicating the physician’s practice in the social context of society. The choice of refined design elements sought to reassure patients and elevate the physician's role in society, all while discreetly concealing the discomforting reality of their medical practice. In an era of significant medical advancements, this case subtly advocated for the social refinement of medical practice, even as it carried instruments tied to a practice many might find disturbing.

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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.