Comments on: Surgical Nightmares

By: Anne Nonymus

Anne Nonymus — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:57:13 +0000

It’s amazing how we can put a man on the moon, give a 70 year old an erection, but still can’t make childbirth and motherhood sacred and comfortable. That’s the only thing I’m really pissed at the bible for.

By: tDIYm

tDIYm — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:44:37 +0000

I actually HAVE a couple of my grandfather’s surgical things from around this same era…nothing quite this creepy, tho.

By: patty

patty — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:01:59 +0000

antiques? my doctor still uses these instruments. :-))))

By: Adrian

Adrian — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:54:06 +0000

Oh god. The dark, scared laughter that came from me because of all the pre-1880’s instruments. No wonder the “insane psycho doctor” trope is so fixed in our collective cultural history!

By: Ana

Ana — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:48:31 +0000

God, I saw these last night on whatssisname’s twitter link dump blog.

Agreed about the gyno tools, made same comment to my boyfriend.
Worse yet, I have vestibulitis, so you can imagine my delight at the exams …which I avoid.

There’s a guy @ Vancouver [Canada] flea market that sells old lab/medical goods. There were GIGANTIC scissors, and some magnifying glasses that I wish I’d bought for jewelery making.

By: John G

John G — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 04:25:13 +0000

I once found a trunk of old surgical tools for sale in a Portland antique shop. The owner wanted a reasonable $150 for the whole thing. I would have bought it, except (a) I was/am too broke to drop $150 on antiques, and (b) what would I really do with a trunk full of bone saws, skull tongs, and assorted clamps, pliers, and blades? Besides scare the hell out of visitors, of course. My living quarters already look enough like a psychotic scavenger’s museum as it is.

By: Erin

Erin — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:51:40 +0000

Ugh, the skull saw made me cringe! Just the name is enough to do it to me. If I ever become a serial killer, I think I’ve decided on my signature modus operandi.

By: nadi

nadi — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:34:56 +0000

i had a discussion with my gyno at my last appointment about how they need to re-design the instruments used in gynecological exams, so i would agree!

I wen’t to a medical museum in Vienna a few weeks ago. It was amazing the old instruments, the illustrations, the wax models…*sigh* everything

By: Glenn

Glenn — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:17:37 +0000

Anyone passing through London Bridge/Borough area in London should take a hour to find the ‘herb garret/old operating theatre’ where which has orginal herb drying loft and as well as an orginal 1800’s operating theatre- with the empasies on theatre! It and it’s amazing range of tools are often seen in tv and films. It’s a facinating place to vist as you can really see the points where they stopped guessing and figured out what they needed to do to stop killing patients!

By: Alice

Alice — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:28:07 +0000

When it comes to outdated medical instruments, my curiosity was not appropriately piqued until my first visit to the Mütter Museum. But, then…oh, THEN…

And…no. No, you are absolutely right about gynecological implements. I always mean to bring this up with my doctor, but somehow I freeze up when it comes to that as soon as I get on that table. Gee, fancy that…