The Surgery Chair (click here to be taken back to our collections webpage)

 

This operating chair was used in operations in the old Worcester Infirmary at Castle Street in the early 1800s. As you can see from the image, there are some holes along the side of the chair's back. These were to tie the patients to the chair to prevent them wriggling around too much when they were having an operation (it was used before anaesthetics were invented).

 

If you pop in to the Museum, you might be able to spot some of the marks left by the knives of the surgeons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image © Charles Hastings Education Centre