Double truss for the treatment of a hernia, London, England, 1901-1918

Made:
1901-1918 in London
maker:
S Maw, Son & Sons
Double truss, circular, for inguinal hernia, size 35, by S Double truss, circular, for inguinal hernia, size 35, by S

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Double truss, circular, for inguinal hernia, size 35, by S
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Double truss, circular, for inguinal hernia, size 35, by S
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Double truss, circular, for inguinal hernia, size 35, by S. Maw, Son and Sons, London, English, 1900-1930

A hernia occurs when an organ or part of the body protrudes through the muscle wall in the body. This truss is used to support a hernia in the groin. Hernias of this type are caused by physical effort, or even through excessive coughing, and were once a very common problem among labourers and the elderly.

Today they are usually easily corrected by a simple surgical procedure, but before the National Health Service began in 1948, hernias were often left untreated, causing a great deal of pain. The truss, constructed from cloth-covered metal, was made by S Maw, Sons and Son, a surgical and medical instrument maker based in London.

Details

Category:
Orthopaedics
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A635990
Materials:
frame, steel, spring, covering, fabric and covering, leather
Measurements:
overall: 110 mm x 240 mm x 200 mm, .26kg
type:
truss