Object ID Number:
EH102050
Object Name:
Trephine
Manufactured from:
1850
Manufactured to:
1870
Description / History:
small diameter – .5 in
black ebony handle
criss–cross markings on handle – used for better grip, 1860s range
The Trephine drill is the primary tool in trepanation, a surgical procedure involving the
removal of the top of the skull. Trepanation was believed to relieve pressure on the brain and
cure mental disorders from epilepsy to migraines. It was also employed in emergency situations such as a fractured skull. Trephination is thought by many to be the world’s oldest surgical practice for which there is archaeological evidence. The procedure began to fall from
popularity in the 1860s, and is referred to as a craniotomy in modern medicine. A craniotomy is the surgical removal of the top of the skull, after the procedure the bone is replaced.
black ebony handle
criss–cross markings on handle – used for better grip, 1860s range
The Trephine drill is the primary tool in trepanation, a surgical procedure involving the
removal of the top of the skull. Trepanation was believed to relieve pressure on the brain and
cure mental disorders from epilepsy to migraines. It was also employed in emergency situations such as a fractured skull. Trephination is thought by many to be the world’s oldest surgical practice for which there is archaeological evidence. The procedure began to fall from
popularity in the 1860s, and is referred to as a craniotomy in modern medicine. A craniotomy is the surgical removal of the top of the skull, after the procedure the bone is replaced.
Dimensions:
H–4.4 Dia–0.5 inches
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