There was also a straight variety of the instrument (τὰ καλούμενα ὀρθὰ συριγγοτόμα, Paul, VI. lii).
Curved blade cutting on two edges.
A curved blade of a somewhat unusual type is described by Galen in discussing the dissection of the thorax (ii. 673). However, the description is unmistakably clear. He says:
Χρῆσθαι δ' αὐτῆς μάλιστα τῷ κυρτῷ μέρει κεχαλκευμένης ὁμοίως ἑκατέρωθεν, ὥστε ἀμφικύρτους ἔχειν ἀμφότερας τὰς τεμνούσας γραμμὰς ἀλλὰ κατὰ μὲν τὴν ἑτέραν σιμῆς, κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἀντικειμένην ταύτῃ κυρτῆς.
‘It is best to have the curved part forged alike on both sides so that the cutting edges are curved in two ways, viz. one concave and the other convex.’
A smaller variety for fine dissection is referred to in the same book (εἰς ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἐπιτηδειοτάτη μυρσίνη κυρτή, ii. 674).
Shears.
Greek, ψαλίς; Latin, forfex.
Oribasius treats of cutting the hair as a regular medical procedure, in a special chapter, περὶ κουρᾶς καὶ ξυρήσεως. Celsus also frequently refers to cutting the hair as a therapeutic measure. Possibly the ancients found difficulty in putting an edge sufficiently smooth for surgical purposes on their shears. We have a few references to the use of the shears for cutting tissues. Celsus, in the treatment of abdominal injury with protusion of omentum, says:
Omentum quoque considerandum est: ex quo, si quid iam nigri et emortui est, forfice excidi debet: si integrum est, leniter super intestina deduci (VII. xvi).