1863-65, U. S. A. Hosp. Dept. Field Surgical Set
by J. Tiencken, N. Y.
Tags: USA Hospital Department, Julius Tiencken, Surgical Set, Civil War Medicine
A Civil War military issued surgical set marked for the U. S. Army Hospital Department, by Julius Tiencken of New York are not common as he was a small producer for the Union Army.
Julius Tiencken, 1863-1872
1863: 4 Astor place
1865: 142 Attorney
1871-72: 110 W. 29th surgical instruments
This field size surgical set, was purchased from the family of a doctor John J. Ensor, M.D. Dr. Ensor had an interesting history as he served for a short time with the Confederates in Tenn. He is documented as having treated soldiers at a skirmish in Blountsville, Tenn. It is most likely he acquired this set after the War and it has remained in the Ensor family. More information on Dr. Ensor.
The three tier set is missing the following instruments: a couple of urethral sounds, bone forcep, bullet forcep, and a couple of smaller scalpels. All instruments are marked 'Tiencken' or are unmarked. It is a fairly complete field type set provided to the regular Union Army surgeons by the Medical and Hospital Departments during the War years. At the end of the war, this type of set was most likely turned in by the army and sold at auction to raise fund for the Medical Department of the Federal Army.
The thumb rest on the saw is unusual and rarely seen on capital saws
Large tourniquet is unmarked. Small tourniquet is marked 'Tiencken'
The ivory handled instruments are all marked 'Tiencken'
The 'gullet' forceps disarticulate and are stored on either side of the base of the case
The large heavy 'needle' is used to thread the 'chain' of the chainsaw around the bone
Two probangs used to dislodge foreign bodies from the esophagus. The handles are made of whale baleen.