Beer-type cataract knife and needle, cased, Paris, 1820-1866

Made:
1820-1866 in Paris
maker:
Charrière
Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory
Science Museum Group
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Beer's cataract knife and needle, steel and ivory, in red leather case, by Charriere of Paris, late 19th century

Georg Joseph Beer (1763-1821), an Austrian professor of ophthalmology, invented this cataract knife and needle around 1805. Cataracts cause blurred vision as the lens becomes cloudy and if left untreated can cause blindness. These instruments allowed for the surgical removal of some of the cloudy mass and, if necessary, part or all of the lens itself. Prior to effective anaesthetics this was an excruciatingly painful process.

Today, the cataract-affected lens would be entirely removed by surgery and an artificial lens inserted.

Details

Category:
Ophthalmology
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A617525
Materials:
steel, ivory, leather, metal, silk, cardboard and brass
Measurements:
opened box: 25 mm x 153 mm x 26 mm, .02 kg
needle: 3 mm x 125 mm x 5 mm,
closed box: 18 mm x 153 mm x 16 mm, .02 kg
knife: 3 mm x 131 mm x 11 mm,
type:
ophthalmic instrument set