1851 Great Exhibition: Official Catalogue: Class X.: James Veitch

6. VEITCH, JAMES, 6 Ovington Square, Brompton - Inventor.

An invention denominated the medico-chirurgical ambulance, for surgical use on the field of battle, with an operating table attached thereto. The solid structure is 3 feet 4 inches in length, 2 feet in breadth, to which there is affixed an inclined plane to raise the shoulders when required. The flap is 2 feet 6 inches in length, and of the same breadth as the solid structure, and is supported when necessary by a moveable beam that can be promptly projected from under the table, which is 2 feet 11 inches in height. Under the body of the table and in the centre there is a square box of 16 inches in all directions, with 4 exterior and lateral divisions of 2 inches in breadth each, 16 inches in length, and 8 in depth, for receiving the cases of amputating, trepanning, miscellaneous, and cupping instruments, and they are exteriorly so marked. When amputation of the thigh, or any other extremity is required, the necessary instruments are laid out on the inside of the cover of the box just adverted to, beginning with the letter nearest to the limb to be removed, the first instrument wanted to be placed opposite A, and the second opposite B, and so on, according to the order in which they are required during the operation. If a shoulder is to be removed, the same arrangements are to be adopted as in the amputation of a thigh, with the difference of placing the instruments at the head instead of the lower extremity of the table. The divisions in the centre are intended to receive bandages of 6, of 5, of 4, and 3 yards in length, and 3 inches in breadth, and they are capable of giving accommodation to 200 of the description noticed. The drawers in front marked ligatures are intended to keep these essential agents of surgery in constant readiness. The drawers marked slips of adhesive plaster indicate the propriety of their being at all times in readiness for operations and wounds. The compartment marked fractures is for keeping the splints and bandages necessary for the treatment of such accidents. The department marked dislocations indicates that all instruments required for the reduction of such dislocations are there to be found.

With these arrangements the surgeon can never be taken by surprise, and is consequently always in a condition to remedy the effects of wounds and other accidents.

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