| Reference Number | TPCK/9/7 |
| Title | Terebra Occulta |
| Date | 1800-1899 |
| Description | This long metal blade-like object has a rounded wooden handle. The instrument is spring-operated, with a cylindrical portion on the body containing the spring. When pressure is applied, a blade comes out of the sheath. Named the "Terebra Occulta", it was used to perforate the head of a foetus, by getting rid of part of the brain. The sheath gives protection to the mother. No manufacturer's mark present. This specific object is a nineteenth century creation, based off a seventeenth century design by Fielding Ould's "A Treatise on Midwifery" in 1742. It was commissioned and owned by Fleetwood Churchill, who declared it was almost entirely useless. |
| Extent | 1 item |
| Dimensions | 300mm x 30mm x 30mm |
| Digital Collections | View online in our digital collections |
| Copyright | Free to use under the terms of the Creative Commons Licence Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) |
| Credit Line | Royal College of Physicians of Ireland |
| Object Name | Obstetrical Perforator |
| Term | Gynaecology |
| Aborted Foetus |
| Abortion, Induced |
| Surgical Procedures, Operative |
| Obstetrics -- instrumentation |
| Gynaecologic Surgical Procedures |
| Obstetrics |