Chinese woodcut: Instruments of petty surgery (3)

Woodblock illustration of surgical instruments/instruments of external medicine from Waike tushuo (Pictorial Manual of External Medicine), published in 1856 (6th year of the Xianfeng reign period of the Qing dynasty). It shows the ya she (tongue depressor), pengtong (cooking cylinder), jiu zhao (moxa cover) and jiu ban (moxa board). The tongue depressor, like the modern implement, was used to depress the tongue and hold it still during oral surgery. The moxa board was used in moxibustion. It had a circular hole into which the moxa was placed to prevent it from injuring the surrounding healthy skin. Similarly, the moxa cover was used to cover up the moxa to prevent accidental harm to the surrounding skin. Moxibustion was used as an external treatment for abscesses and ulcers considered to be yin conditions. The bowl-shaped device shown above the cooking cylinder was designed to hold liquid drugs. It had a hole in the side into which the cooking cylinder was inserted. Once the liquid drug had been heated, it could be used to treat ulcers and sores by fumigation.

PICTURE TITLE: Illustrations of various types of surgical knives, scissors and forceps, 3. OTHER LETTERING: Ya she (tongue depressor); pengtong (cooking cylinder); jiu zhao (moxa cover); jiu ban (moxa board).