Information about the Kit

Background: This amputation kit comes from the Civil War era. These kits were used by surgeons for amputations that could in many cases be performed in about ten minutes.

Hot Commodity: During the Civil War, the most common battlefield injury was being wounded by enemy fire. This often led to amputation of limbs to prevent infection from setting in. There were approximately 30,000 amputations performed during the war, and it's predicted that as many as 75% of all Civil War amputees survived.

The Contents

Included in the kit are two trephines, a variety of knives, an amputation saw, bone nippers, a tourniquet, tweezers, scissors and a hey saw.

How to Learn More

Schedule a Tour: Contact the MHC to schedule a tour. Email us at mhcmail@osumc.edu, or call us at (614) 292-3275. We are located in Columbus, Ohio.

More to Come: Watch for more Curator's Top 25 artifact highlights throughout the rest of 2022!

Medical Heritage Center Contact Information

The Ohio State University Health Sciences Library
5th Floor, Prior Hall
376 West 10th Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43210
(614) 292-3275
go.osu.edu/mhc