Antique Portable Lancet Kit

Description

Bloodletting was a common medical technique utilized until the end of the 19th century, though its roots can be traced back to ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The medical procedure was used as a means to help combat disease with the belief that it could help reduce inflamation and bring balance to the body. The procedure was often carried out with a sharp lancet, or, in times following its introduction in the mid 17th century, multi-bladed bleeders called scarificators. The lancet was the most primtive - and most popular - of the bloodletting tools, and consisted of a small sharp blade that could pierce the skin to a vein. This would allow blood to flow freely from the incision. The most comparable item to the lancet in modern times is the common scalpel. *On loan to the Ruth Lilly Medical Library from the private collection of Dr. Leo J. McCarthy.*