Blood-letting was a standard medical practice that lasted well into the nineteenth century and its practitioners used several tools, but mainly fleams, with right angle blades, largely for veterinary use, and lancets, with straight blades, for people. The Lancet, a British medical journal founded in 1838, reminds us of this venerable pastime even today.

This set likely dates to the early 1800s and is cased beautifully in a tortoise shell pocket case with silver mounts, hinged lid with locking button, and small silver escutcheon plate on the top. The instruments have matching tortoise shell handles, but the blades show differing maker’s stamps, including one marked Macleod, another Ewing, a third with a starred “P” and another with two names and “London.” All, including the case, are likely to be London made. Two of the lancets have damaged handles, but the blades are generally very good, and the elegant case in excellent condition is the main attraction.

Lancet cases can be very pretty and are a nice collecting category. This is a very attractive set emphasizing the Victorian belief that beauty and utility could go together. It may also have served to comfort a patient that the doctor must at least have had enough patients survive to pay for such a nice set of instruments.  [sr]

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