
2 6 c m
40cm
actual image size: 32cm x 18cm
Description
Brace and bit cranial trephine with single bit. A trephine is a crown saw used for perforating the skull and removing a circle of tissue or bone. Trephination as a therapeutic or magico-religious procedure dates back to Neolithic times, with trephines (or 'trepans') often used as a method of releasing evil spirits from the patient. Over the centuries, this surgical procedure continued to be used to treat a variety of symptoms, from migraine to mental illness.
Image Details
Image Ref.
10439115
© Science Museum / Science & Society Picture Library