Dr. Richtmere Hubble
date: label: Date made
content: c. 1860s
name: label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description
content: Sixth-plate tintype, matted with preserver (no glass or case), of young doctor seated in profile, leg crossed loosely, with open traveling surgical tool kit on leg.
label: Description
content: The set of instruments resting on Dr. Hubble's leg appears to be a typical pocket case of the mid-nineteenth century. Made of soft leather, the pocket case could easily be folded and stuffed into a pocket in the physician's overcoat. Hubble was obviously proud of his status as a physician taking the time to be photographed with his surgical set. Hubble is holding a pair of forceps or scissors in one hand while he balances the rest of the set on his leg. The pocket case includes metal male and female catheters and several single-bladed instruments with folding handles; probably made of tortoise-shell.
label: Description
content: Small portable surgical cases have been around for centuries. The cases came in many sizes and were made from, wood, silver, shell, shagreen (shark skin) and leather. Pocket surgical cases were produced in large numbers during and after the American Civil War. Several New York and Philadelphia surgical instrument makers produced pocket cases for the Union Army. There are many examples of surgical pocket cases in the Division of Medicine and Science.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Photographic History
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2005.0082.01
label: accession number
content: 2005.0082
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Photograph, tintype
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 8.4 cm x 7.2 cm; 3 5/16 in x 2 13/16 in