Wood case with fish skin and flannel dressing (7x50x26cm). Belonged to the surgeon José Marcelino Peres Pinto. Amputation saw with two blades: wood and steel; 1,2x45x13,5cm Artery forceps: steel; 1x14,5x6,2cm Two amputation knives: wood and steel; 3x36x4cm Seton needle: steel; 1x15x1,3cm Key: steel; 1x9,2x2cm. Renewal done by Mrs. Benilde Letra and Mrs. Maria Amélia Martins

The identification of an amputation set assumes a previous identification of the surgical instruments contained in it, which is possible after successive viewing of other museum models or pictures available in books or surgical instrument catalogues. The relevant information for a chronological definition comes from the historical knowledge that it was a very common surgical act in the 18th century, from the shape, the trade mark and the materials of which they are made, such as wood, ivory for the handles and the imperfections in the hand working of the steel used, due to the technological limitations at the time. This explains the need to build stronger surgical instruments, because of the fragility of the steel available, of which the saw and the amputation knives are examples in this set. They were, at the same time, less ergonomic. The cataloguing of the set is made - R.J. n. º 242 - as well as of each instrument, reporting, whenever present, the manufacturer mark: - wooden set lined with fish skin and flannel, 7 x 50 x 26 cm; amputation saw with two blades, wood and steel, 1,2 x 45 x 13,5 cm; artery forceps, steel, 1 x 14,5 x 6,2 cm; two amputation knives, wood and steel, 3 x 36 x 4 cm; seton needle, steel, 1 x 15 x 1,3 cm; key, steel, 1 x 9,2 x 2 cm.

In a period prior to the discovery of Anesthesia the surgeon was asked to execute an amputation in seconds, performance also required to the instrument. The curvilinear shape of the amputation knives aimed at shortening and simplifying the operatory work. We can thereafter verify that the set is not complete; this is not a rare situation and can be explained by the deficient resistance to corrosion and degradation of some of the materials in use. The empty spaces suggest shapes and, taking in account the aforementioned experience, we might suppose that the missing instruments could be a screw tourniquet (maybe a wooden one), an amputation knife (maybe interosseous) and a needle. Although the pointed physical methods of hæmostasis - the artery forceps and the probable screw tourniquet - were known its use was not vulgarized, which is a fact that emphasizes the value of this set. Once more the incessant observation of instruments and iconographic reproductions allowed the identification of the artery forceps, according to the model of L. Heister (1683 - 1758), which reinforces its historical value. The Seton consisted of a small surgery where a string was pushed through the skin and then pulled out of it again; this string could be made of several materials and this piercing was meant to shield the humoral balance. The posterior cervical region was the most often chosen. In this set we can see a Seton needle, which is frequently seen together with amputation instruments. The set decoration excludes an English, French or German origin. It may have an Iberian or Italian provenience. It is an enigma. The manufacturer mark, should there be one, would clarify the place and date of its production, although there are signs that, when analyzed as a whole, can be highly elucidative. The study of the surgical instruments forms a continuous cycle of national research and worldwide interchange.