An Improved Shot Compressor. 
By JOHN S. MILLER, M.D., 
SURGEON TO ST. JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL, PHILADELPHIA, PA. 
Reprinted from the Medical Record, December io, 1892. 
Complicated surgical instru- 
ments, even if efficient, are 
not generally welcome to 
the surgeon. Simplification 
of all details in mechanism 
favors their aseptic prepara- 
tion which is most desira- 
ble. If an instrument can 
be made to do the work of 
two, and its mechanism is 
not complicated thereby, we 
would believe this to be an 
effort in the right direction. 
In gynecological operations 
where silkworm gut-or any 
other form of suture-is used 
with shot, a shot compres- 
sor is required, and also a 
pair of scissors to cut off the 
ends of the sutures. The 
instrument depicted in the 
woodcut is simply an ordi- 
nary shot compressor with 
semi - circular cutting edges 
at the points of both jaws. 
After the shot is compressed 
the instrument is slightly 
withdrawn and the suture is 
cut off, thereby saving time 
and lessening the number of instruments. 
1917 Girard Avenue.