Original Item. Only One Available. This is an exceptionally interesting U.S. Navy Medical Department venereal disease field instrument case dating to the First World War era, circa 1917, manufactured by the well-known Fred Haslam & Co. of Brooklyn, New York. The exterior of the bright plated metal case is attractively engraved:

VENEREAL CASE
MED. DEPT. U.S.N.

Below the inscription is the circular maker's trademark for Fred Haslam & Co. The exterior also bears a circular patent stamp reading “PATENTED AUG. 6, ’12”.

The interior is particularly impressive. The case incorporates a folding metal organizer engraved with outlines showing the intended position of the individual instruments. Period labels visible in the case include Silver Catheter, Caustic Holder-Silver, Forceps-Dressing, Syringe, Scissors, Director-Grooved, Double End Curette, Silver Probe, Bistoury-Straight, Bistoury-Curved, and Scalpel, along with spaces for various needles and other specialized instruments. This arrangement made it immediately obvious to the Navy medical officer or hospital corpsman where each component belonged and whether an instrument was missing.

A substantial assortment of the specialized instruments remains with the case. Among the surviving pieces are the large three-ring metal syringe, several knives and bistouries, curette-type instruments, needles, and various other small tools corresponding to the engraved positions within the fitted interior. The set does appear to be incomplete, however, with the scissors among the components no longer present.

The metal case remains in exceptional condition, with crisp, easily legible engraving and a bright surface showing only very light scratches and minor handling wear from age and use. The folding interior sections and retaining clips are fully intact, while the engraved instrument outlines remain remarkably sharp and well defined. The included instruments likewise show varying degrees of age and light surface wear, but overall remain in very good to excellent condition, presenting as an impressively well-preserved medical set. Also included is a fitted khaki canvas carrying case, which closely accommodates the metal instrument case. It features a folding flap with metal snap closure.

Venereal disease represented a serious medical and manpower concern for the wartime U.S. Navy, particularly infections such as gonorrhea and syphilis, which could remove otherwise healthy sailors from active duty for extended periods. As a result, the Navy developed organized programs devoted to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, and equipped its medical personnel with specialized instruments for genitourinary care. In a 1919 account of wartime urology in the U.S. Navy, Dr. Oswald S. Lowsley observed that Navy urologists were responsible for the full range of genitourinary surgery and instrumentation, but that one of their most important wartime duties centered on combating venereal disease and treating affected personnel.

This surviving example offers a particularly tangible look at that work. Its specialized assortment of instruments reflects the diagnostic and treatment procedures available to Navy medical personnel during the First World War era, making the set an especially evocative artifact of early 20th-century military medicine.

Approximate Measurements: 21.5 x 10 x 2 cm

Historic collectible only. These instruments are offered strictly for display and historical study and are not intended, represented, or suitable for modern medical use. Please handle the set with care, as it contains needles and other sharp surgical instruments that may present a risk of injury.