Chinese woodcut: Instruments of petty surgery (1)

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 an array of knives and scissors used for surgical purposes. Knives or scalpels were divided into three types according to their size, i.e. da bi (large 'dagger'), zhong bi (medium 'dagger') and xiao bi (small 'dagger'). Scissors had sharp points, and were supposed to be forged out of '2-zhu steel'. Knives were used to lance and drain abscesses. Scissors were used to excise rotten flesh from ulcers, etc.

PICTURE TITLE: Illustrations of various types of surgical knives, scissors and forceps, 1. OTHER LETTERING: Illustrations of various types of surgical knives, scissors and forceps. Sharp-pointed scissors, forged out of 2-zhu steel. Xiao bi (small 'dagger'); zhong bi (medium 'dagger'); da bi (large 'dagger').