20 April 2012

"Uvula scissors"

Scissors for amputation of the uvula
from Edward M. Foote’s A text-book of minor surgery, 1909.

Cleverly designed.  Angled handles to keep the hands out of the field of view, and a bend to pull the uvula forward prior to excision.  I suppose the tip might even grab the resected piece the way some floral scissors will grab a severed rose. 

Found at the Sutured Infection tumblr.

5 comments:

  1. Why in heaven's name?

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  2. Why would anyone want to remove the uvula? I though the tonsils were the only bits causing trouble.

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  3. I suspect in that era it was primarily done as rx for recurrent sore throats, and perhaps for strep throat with uvular edema. Nowadays it's sometimes used to try to alleviate obstructive sleep apnea.

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  4. Sure would make it difficult to speak a language which contains uvulars--like French, Arabic, Quechua, Inuktitut, etc.

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  5. This reminds me WAAAAAY too much of the awful scene in Lars von Trier's Antichrist...you know the one I'm talking about...
    *shudder*

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