Amputation Collection

Medical / Amputation / Arm
Sawing off an arm

Medical / Amputation / Leg
Sawing off a leg

Dick Dock, or the Lobster and Crab, 1806. Scene outside an alehouse by the River Thames. A Greenwich Pensioner with a wooden leg takes the hand of a soldier

Artificial hand of Goetz von Berlichingen
Prosthethic hand and arm of Gottfried (Goetz) von Berlichingen (1480 1562), also known as Goetz of the Iron Hand, a German Imperial Knight and mercenary. Date: 1868

Fitzroy HJ Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan, British soldier, 19th century. In the course of his distinguished military career, Lord Raglan served on Wellingtons staff from 1808-1812

Phantom pain after amputation, artwork
Phantom pain after amputation. Artwork of a man experiencing phantom pain (red flash) from his amputated hand (left). This is caused by stimuli to the motor and pre-motor cortical areas of his brain

Medical / Surgery / Amputati
Amputation of leg

Drawings Prints, Print, Amputation, Artist, Publisher, Thomas Rowlandson, William Hinton
Drawings and Prints, Print, Amputation, Artist, Publisher, Thomas Rowlandson, William Hinton, British, London 1757-1827 London, British, active London, 1779-86, Rowlandson, Thomas, Hinton, William

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Knives and tourniquets used for amputation. The tourniquets not only stemmed the flow of blood
526847 Knives and tourniquets used for amputation. The tourniquets not only stemmed the flow of blood, they also induced numbness, so reducing pain

Amputation of the arm at the shoulder. From Illustrations of the Great Operations of Surgery by Charles Bell (London)
526811 Amputation of the arm at the shoulder. From Illustrations of the Great Operations of Surgery by Charles Bell (London, 1821)

Casualty displaying healed stump, 19th century (engraving)
863918 Casualty displaying healed stump, 19th century (engraving); (add.info.: American Civil War 1861-1865. Casualty displaying the healed stump after removal of his foot by Pirogof amputation)

Jean Louis Petite's machine to compress femoral artere during thigh amputation, bandage
FLO4611844 Jean Louis Petite's machine to compress femoral artere during thigh amputation, bandage, aneurysm needle and scissors - Plate taken from " L'Encyclopedie" by Denis

Capital letters Plate in "Picturesque alphabet or New informative and picturesque alphabet", 1892 (engraving)
DUV4220244 Capital letters Plate in "Picturesque alphabet or New informative and picturesque alphabet", 1892 (engraving); 27x17.5 cm; (add.info)

An engraving depicting a soldier with a wooden leg, 19th century
5311203 An engraving depicting a soldier with a wooden leg, 19th century; (add.info.: Date: 1877); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Main in " The way of processing the faictes playes by hacquebutes, as by arrows, & the accidents of icelles
XEE5030952 Main in " The way of processing the faictes playes by hacquebutes, as by arrows, & the accidents of icelles, like fractures & caries of bones, gangrene & mortification

France, Portrait of a man with one hand and with a medal, 1860
LUX4733528 France, Portrait of a man with one hand and with a medal, 1860; (add.info.: France, Portrait of a man with one hand and with a medal, 1860); Photo © Lux-in-Fine.

Surgical equipment including amputating and metacarpal saws, knives, catling, bistoury, scalpel, needle, tenaculum
FLO4592884 Surgical equipment including amputating and metacarpal saws, knives, catling, bistoury, scalpel, needle, tenaculum, bone nippers and forceps from the 19th century

Surgical equipment including turnstiles and amputation instruments from the 19th century
FLO4592871 Surgical equipment including turnstiles and amputation instruments from the 19th century. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry from Abraham Rees' " Cyclopedia or Universal

An estranged mother and son reconciled in a hospital ward after her son became an amputee as a result of an accident
3478178 An estranged mother and son reconciled in a hospital ward after her son became an amputee as a result of an accident

Legs prosthesis intended for the poor and beggars. Engraving from a work on the amputations of the members of
FGL5487545 Legs prosthesis intended for the poor and beggars. Engraving from a work on the amputations of the members of the French surgeon Ambroise Pare (1509-1590). 1551.; Fototeca Gilardi.

Pygmee ou commis des gabelles - engraving of 1823 in " Songes drolatiques de Pantagruel" by Francois Rabelais
JEB4933188 Pygmee ou commis des gabelles - engraving of 1823 in " Songes drolatiques de Pantagruel" by Francois Rabelais (1494-1553) - (The Capricious Dreams of Pantagruel)

A successful Hip-joint amputation
2626724 A successful Hip-joint amputation; (add.info.: Private George W. Lemon, from George A. Otis, Drawings, Photographs)

The miller Samuel Wood, whose arm and scapula were torn off when entangled in a rope attached to the moving mill
526834 The miller Samuel Wood, whose arm and scapula were torn off when entangled in a rope attached to the moving mill machinery (1737)

Surgeon and his assistants, before the introduction of anaesthetics, prepared to perform an amputation at the shoulder
526833 Surgeon and his assistants, before the introduction of anaesthetics, prepared to perform an amputation at the shoulder. Surgeon stands, left, next the assistant surgeon (behind patient)

James Syme, 1840
1576974 James Syme, 1840; (add.info.: James Syme (7 November 1799 - 26 June 1870) was a pioneering Scottish surgeon. He was best known for performing the first successful amputation at the hip joint

Engraving depicting an elderly man walking with a wooden leg through the streets of London, 19th century
5308982 Engraving depicting an elderly man walking with a wooden leg through the streets of London, 19th century; (add.info)

Engraving depicting a mother sitting by her son's bedside after he has had his legs amputated
5309442 Engraving depicting a mother sitting by her son's bedside after he has had his legs amputated; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a mother sitting by her son's bedside after he has had)

Cover of " Les Crobeaux (Paris)", number 23, Satirique en Couleurs, 1905_9_10: Russia, America, Japan
ICA4874272 Cover of " Les Crobeaux (Paris)", number 23, Satirique en Couleurs, 1905_9_10: Russia, America, Japan

Death, represented by a skeleton, leading a cripple by the hand. Medievale engraving, color enhancement 19th century
NWI4959143 Death, represented by a skeleton, leading a cripple by the hand. Medievale engraving, color enhancement 19th century.; (add.info.: Death, represented by a skeleton)

Cruel and imperfect breast amputation, surgical pliers, razor and scalpel for mastectomy
FLO4611883 Cruel and imperfect breast amputation, surgical pliers, razor and scalpel for mastectomy, chest support instrument and its use

Bone saw, pliers, scissors, mallet and hook for childbirth - Plate taken from " L'Encyclopedie" by Denis
FLO4611854 Bone saw, pliers, scissors, mallet and hook for childbirth - Plate taken from " L'Encyclopedie" by Denis Diderot (1713-1784) and Jean Le Rond D'Alembert (1717-1783)

Engraving of Nelson wounded at Tenerife, 1797 (engraving)
2602291 Engraving of Nelson wounded at Tenerife, 1797 (engraving); (add.info.: Nelson wounded at Tenerife, 24 July 1797. Engraving by J Neagle)

A successful Hip-joint amputation
2626725 A successful Hip-joint amputation; (add.info.: Private George W. Lemon, from George A. Otis, Drawings, Photographs)

Bernhard von Langenbeck, 1850
1576961 Bernhard von Langenbeck, 1850; (add.info.: Bernhard von Langenbeck (9 November 1810 - 29 September 1887) was a German surgeon known as the developer of Langenbeck's amputation

A surgeon on trial in front of Hammurabi accused of having caused the loss of the eye of a member of the upper class by
3033778 A surgeon on trial in front of Hammurabi accused of having caused the loss of the eye of a member of the upper class by an unskilful operation, if found guilty his hands would be amputated

Legs prosthesis provided for riders. Engraving from a work on the amputations of the members of the French surgeon
FGL5487605 Legs prosthesis provided for riders. Engraving from a work on the amputations of the members of the French surgeon Ambroise Pare (1509-1590). 1551.; Fototeca Gilardi.

Amputation of the leg at the thigh. The tourniquet deadened the pain as well as reducing the flow of blood but was
526812 Amputation of the leg at the thigh. The tourniquet deadened the pain as well as reducing the flow of blood but was likely to cause serious tissue damage

Telegraph lesson - crippled soldiers, 06 Feb 1919. Creator: Bain News Service
Telegraph lesson - crippled soldiers, 06 Feb 1919. Two soldiers, amputee veterans of World War I, leaning to use a telegraph at a vocational school for wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital

The War in the Herzegovina: Refugees begging outside an hotel at Ragusa, 1876. Creator: Unknown
The War in the Herzegovina: Refugees begging outside an hotel at Ragusa [Dubrovnik], 1876. The Delegations of Austria and Hungary were opened on Monday

L'Arrivee du General Pershing; Sur le quai de Boulogne: accompagne du general Pelletier... 1917. Creator: Unknown
L'Arrivee du General Pershing; Sur le quai de Boulogne: accompagne du general Pelletier, ampute du bras droit, chef de la mission militaire francaise attachee a l'armee americaine

Former general as a street musician, 1895-1899. Creator: Jan de Waardt
Former general as a street musician, 1895-1899. A veteran who was a general in the Dutch East Indies, and lost his left leg in battle, tries to earn money as a busker by singing to a barrel organ

Cartoon on the retreat of Napoleon from Russia, 1812-1814. Creator: Jacob Smies
Cartoon on the retreat of Napoleon from Russia, 1812-1814. On the right is Napoleon with a stocking on his head and followed by creepy-crawlies

The Transept of the Mariakerk in Utrecht, Seen from the Northeast, 1637. Creator: Pieter Jansz Saenredam
The Transept of the Mariakerk in Utrecht, Seen from the Northeast, 1637. Other Title(s): The Transept of the Mariakerk in Utrecht, Seen from the Northeast

Inspection of the Royal Sappers and Miners at Brompton Barracks, Chatham, by Sir John Burgoyne, 1856 Creator: Unknown
Inspection of the Royal Sappers and Miners at Brompton Barracks, Chatham, by Sir John Burgoyne, 1856. More than ordinary interest attached to the occasion

Soldiers Reading-Room, St. Mary's Barracks, Chatham, 1856. Creator: Unknown
Soldiers Reading-Room, St. Mary's Barracks, Chatham, 1856. The annual return of between three and four thousand soldiers from India and the British Colonies - who, either from impaired health

Usant jusqu'a son dernier homme et son dernier mousquet, 19th century. Creator: Honore Daumier
Usant jusqu'a son dernier homme et son dernier mousquet, 19th century. Amputee and soldier with gun: Down to his last man and his last musket

General Alvaro Obregon of Mexico, 1917. Creator: Harris & Ewing. General Alvaro Obregon of Mexico, 1917
General Alvaro Obregon of Mexico, 1917. Obregon had his right arm blown off during a battle in 1915. The arm was preserved in a jar of formaldehyde

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"Amputation: A Journey of Resilience and Hope" In the realm of medicine, amputation stands as a testament to both the triumphs and challenges faced by individuals. Whether it be the loss of an arm or leg, this procedure has shaped countless lives throughout history. One notable figure in this narrative is Fitzroy HJ Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan, a British soldier from the 19th century. His bravery on the battlefield resulted in amputations that forever altered his physicality but not his spirit. The evolution of prosthetics also plays a significant role in understanding amputation's impact. The artificial hand of Goetz von Berlichingen showcases how innovation can restore functionality and empower those who have endured limb loss. Artistic expressions have captured the essence as well. "Dick Dock, or the Lobster and Crab" (1806) portrays society's fascination with these procedures while highlighting their complexities through satire. Similarly, artwork depicting phantom pain after amputation delves into the psychological toll experienced by patients long after surgery ends. Thomas Rowlandson and William Hinton are renowned artists whose drawings and prints shed light on historical perspectives surrounding amputation. Their works serve as reminders that medical advancements have come far since then. However, it is essential to acknowledge that beyond medical records lie stories untold – like that of an Englishwoman martyred by Chinese forces in 1930 for her faith. Her sacrifice serves as a poignant reminder that sometimes life-altering decisions are made outside medical settings due to unforeseen circumstances. Hans von Gersdorff, a German surgeon from centuries ago, contributed significantly to our understanding of surgical techniques related to amputations. His expertise paved the way for modern practices we rely on today. Stephanie Lush's story exemplifies resilience amidst adversity; having lost both legs due to meningitis did not deter her from living life fully with the help of prosthetics.