Stainless steel later took over, due to its reusability and resistance to corrosion. Years ago, most scalpels were made of nickel or chromium-plated carbon steel. Other features like shape, balance, uniformity and dependability are critical. After the 1st and 2nd World Wars, the American industry caught up in manufacturing leadership.Īs elective surgery rose to prominence, the individual needs out of a scalpel have morphed and now must meet certain requirements. For a time period, barber-surgeons were prominent in the US, embellishing their scalpels as part of the art of their craft. America historically has always imported knives. Surgical instrument-making, as a profession, was noted in the 18 th century in England, France, Holland and Germany. Roman surgeons relied on armorers who made cutlery for wartime as well. Copper in 3500 BC, bronze and iron in 1400 BC. How the scalpel was made has varied over time.īlades were initially composed of sharpened stones like flint, jade or obsidian, but metal blades replaced them. Interestingly, the shape of the scalpel likely has not changed much over time. Wounds happen on the battlefield while incisions happen in the operating room, so “scalpel” implies security associated with healing. Furthermore, a “knife” can be used by anybody, but a “scalpel” is only used by a surgeon. If anyone else takes a knife to another person, it’s a criminal attack. “Knife” connotes danger and is more likened to a weapon associated with mutilation and death. Modern surgeons have embraced the term “scalpel” over “knife”. “Scalpel” comes from the Latin word, “scallpellus”.
Hippocrates may have been the first to describe the surgical knife, termed the “macairion”, a smaller version of a Lacedaemonian sword called a “machaira”. Flint knives were used as scrapers to cut through the skull in trepanation. It’s evolved, changing form, to meet our needs.Įvidence of knives used in medicine may be traced to the Mesolithic period around 8000 BC. The knife is hypothesized to have existed for more than 2 million years, longer than modern humans have walked the Earth. Amongst the list of the most useful tools in human history, the knife is usually at the top.
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