Surgical Instruments in Greek and Roman TimesMilne, John Stewart
History
Surgical Instruments in Greek and Roman Times
Milne, John Stewart
Surgery -- History; Surgical instruments and apparatus
Adams translates λιθουλκός by 'forceps for extracting stone', but this is
not quite a justifiable translation. The instruments whose names end in
-ουλκός, and which are derived from ἕλκω, are certainly in many instances
forceps, e. g. βελουλκός, a forceps for extracting weapons, but in other
cases they are as certainly not. I need only refer to ἐμβρυουλκός, which
is conclusively described as a hook for extracting the dead foetus. Thus
while it is possible that the λιθουλκός may have been a forceps, the
etymology of the word does not entitle us to translate by any term more
definite than 'stone extractor'. Galen (xiv. 787) uses the word λιθολάβος,
which has a more definite meaning. The majority of words compounded of
-λάβος means some variety of forceps, e. g. σαρκολάβος, tumour vulsellum.
The etymological evidence thus leaves the matter open, with a slight
balance in favour of there having been a forceps. I should have had no
hesitation in translating λιθολάβος to mean a forceps, had it not been
that Celsus evidently had no cognizance of a stone forceps. Galen,
however, lived after Celsus, and we may note that the Arabians used such
an instrument. Albucasis says that if the stone does not start out it must
be seized with a forceps or a hook, and failing removal by these means it
is to be broken up with forceps. One forceps in the Naples Museum, from
the house of the physician, seems to be suited for the operation (Pl.
XLVI, fig. 3). The handles are short in proportion to the blades, and it
seems better suited to grasp some substance inside the bow than between
the jaws. The unfinished condition of the tips of the handles indicates
that they had been inserted into handles of wood.
_Lithotrite._
Latin, _ferramentum_.
A sort of chisel by which a calculus was split is thus described by
Celsus:
Si quando autem is maior non videtur nisi rupta cervice extrahi posse,
findendus est; cuius repertor Ammonius ob id λιθοτόμος cognominatus
est. Id hoc modo fit: uncus iniicitur calculo sic ut facile eum
concussum quoque teneat, ne is retro revolvatur; tum ferramentum
adhibetur crassitudinis modicae, prima parte tenui, sed retusa, quod
admotum calculo, et ex altera parte ictum, eum findit.
'If at any time it seems too large and impossible to be extracted
without splitting the cervix, it is to be split. The originator of
this is Ammonius, hence called the lithotomist. It is performed in
this manner. A scoop is put over the calculus in such a way that it
easily holds it even when struck from sliding back; then there is
applied an instrument of moderate thickness, slender at the tip, but
blunt, which being placed against the calculus and struck on the other
end splits it' (VII. xxvi).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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