flemes

Surgical Flemes - my jewellery projects

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HIRE ARTIFACTS

LIVING HISTORY?

Bloodletting or Phlebothomy was very popular cure right up to the 19thC. There were two methods of taking a quantity of blood, fistly by using leeches and secondly by cutting with a short scapel or "fleam". I have been inspired to make these items for my Barber Surgeon presentation and then to reflect the shapes in jewellery. The fleam is shown on the coat of arms of the Company of Barber-Surgeons. This instrument was used to puncture a blood vellel to draw out a measured quantity of blood, somthing that was not possible using leaches because the wound left by their bite might bleed for up to 24 hours after they had finished feeding. This was quite dangerous and several well know historical figures were bled to death such as Robin Hood and Charles II.

The black and white illustrations are taken from "Three and Fifty Instrument of Chirurgery by Ambrose Paré published in London in 1631 in an English by H.C. reprinted in facsimile in the "English Experience" series by "Theatrum Orbis Terrarvm Ltd", Amsterdam in 1975 by permission of the Curators of the Bodlian Library, Oxford.

The Coat of Arms is reproduced from "Barbers and Barber Surgeons of London" Jessie Dobson and R. Miles Walker. 1979 Blackwells Scientific Publications, Oxford etc.

Top left

Ambrose Paré, Surgeon to the Kings of France 1510-1590

"Plates or Coyns of silver or other mettall wherein the point of a lancet is fastned".

Top right

Ambrose Paré, Surgeon to the Kings of France 1510-1590

"Ring wherein the points of lancets are hidden"

Bottom right

The coat of arms granted to the Company of Barber-Surgeons by Queen Elizabeth 1.

The cross of St George charged with a lion passant gardant or, the first and forth quarters sable, a chevron between three fealms argent, the second and third per pale argent and vert, on a spatter a rose gules and argent, crowned with an imperial crown or, . The Crest an Opinicus or, Motto: De Præscientia Dei. Two lynxes in the proper colour, abouth their necks coronets and thence a chain reflected over their backs, argent.