Gustav Webber Amputating Set

United States -- History -- Civil War -- Medicine

This amputating set belonged to Gustav Weber, who served as surgeon general of Ohio during the Civil War and founded St. Vincent Charity Hospital in Cleveland. The amputating set contains 3 forceps (for tissue and bone torsion), 3 sounds (urethral), 3 needles, 1 aneurysm needle, 4 bisoutries, bone chisel, tenaculum, probe (lacrymal), and saw (Tiemann's capital). In the autumn of 1861, Governor David Tod appointed Gustav Weber (1828-1912) surgeon general of Ohio forces. At the time Weber was an instructor of surgery at the Cleveland Medical College (forerunner of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine). As surgeon general, Weber organized a system care for troops in the field, and improved the condition of camps and hospitals in the state. He also saw action with Ohio regiments in a battle at Perrysville, Kentucky. In late 1862, pressed by teaching duties and concern over his wife's health, Weber resigned and returned to civilian life. Military service convinced Weber that Cleveland needed a general hospital to serve the community's medical needs. In 1863 he joined forces with Bishop Rappe of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland to found St. Vincent Charity Hospital. The Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine provided administration and nursing staff, and Weber served as chief of surgery. Opened in October 1865, St. Vincent was Cleveland's first voluntary hospital. Weber also established Charity Hospital Medical College. His students, drawn by his reputation as surgeon general, learned clinical medicine in the hospital. In Cleveland, this novel approach to educating doctors was unique to Weber's medical college.

Dittrick Medical History Center,

1861 - 1862 circa

Callie McCune

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http://www.ohiomemory.org/u?/p267401coll36,9009

Cleveland (Ohio), Cuyahoga County (Ohio)