A Superb & Most Scarce King George IIIrd Period Therapeutic Phlebotomy Mechanical Instrument, A Scarifyer Of Superb Quality by Ferguson of London. A Pistol Action To Instantaneously Release & Retract 12 Rotating Blades to Slice The Skin For Blood Letting

A fabulous Georgian collectable, mechanical scientific medical instrument, and a superb conversation piece.

Made in 1822 by Daniel Ferguson, 14 Castle Street, London

A phlebotomy scarificator (or scarifyer) is a historical 18th- and 19th-century spring-loaded medical device used to perform bloodletting by making multiple, uniform shallow cuts in the skin.

One of the best condition and beautiful examples, outside of the Science Museum, we have seen in the past 50 years

The Spring-Action Mechanism The device was armed by cocking a lever like a pistol hammer, and placed the instrument flat side down firmly against the patient's skin (typically on the back, arms, or legs).
When the practitioner pressed a trigger, a complex internal gear system released a series of rotating or snapping concealed blades—usually numbering around 12—which instantly slashed the flesh.

Practitioners used bloodletting under the belief that draining blood could re-balance the body's four fundamental "humors" and cure ailments ranging from fevers and infections to mental illness.

Compared to a single handheld lancet or knife, the multi-bladed scarificator was considered a more sophisticated and rapid way to draw a large volume of blood.

By the late 19th century, medical science advanced, proving that the ancient practice of bloodletting lacked therapeutic value for most conditions and often worsened patient outcomes, rendering the scarificator obsolete

See you tube film on their action, use and lack of efficacy from the Medical History Museum In Mebourne Australia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTF0yGGjZEQ&t=100s

Code: 26306