Name/Title
Amputation sawDescription
This is a large (24 1/2-inch) German amputation saw (ca. 1540) with hooks at both ends to allow the surgeon to hang up his instrument in plain sight for the admiration of potential future customers.
The illustration is from "Feldbüch der Wundartzney" (1497) by Hans von Gersdorff. Note that the physician was using his left hand as a tourniquet to both reduce bleeding, and to compress the nerves for pain control. The man on the right of the illustration was wearing a “T,” likely indicating that he suffered from St. Anthony’s Fire, which was probably erysipelas, a Group A streptococcal infection common at the time.Condition
Overall Condition
Very GoodDate Examined
Jul 9, 2026Create Date
July 9, 2026Update Date
August 28, 2026
