The Allure of the Vintage Surgical Lamp

The vintage surgical lamp has a certain allure. It holds as much fascination with the medical history enthusiast as complete horror to people for a whole host of reasons best left unspoken. The antique operating theatre lights conjure up imagery from horror films about lunatic asylums. The glare of the bright light and a doctor operating on a patient with the question over which one is the lunatic! Yet beyond the conversation provoking horror stories, an old operating room light is a highly technical piece of equipment with a history dating back to the turn of the 20th century.

Prior to the invention of electricity, natural day light with candlelight coupled with well positioned mirrors was the main illumination for surgery, which had massive limitations. The operating theatres were positioned, facing south east often with windows in the ceiling to allow as much sunlight into the room as possible. Surgery was limited to daylight hours. 

The discovery of electricity in 1879 inevitably led to huge improvements to how hospitals were run. Electrical lighting was introduced into hospitals and at the start of the 20th century the main light source was the filament bulb which had issues. This evolved towards the use of halogen light bulbs in the 1960's and then again replaced in the 1990's by the Light Emitting Diode or LED, an energy efficient option. 

The large round circular antique surgical lamp which are sought after by collectors to this day is called the SLS or Surgical Lighting System which was and still is the most common type of surgical lighting used. It is made out of metal and consists of a large central light with additional lamps around it. The various lamps can be independently adjusted to eliminate shadow during surgery. They were usually suspended to a wall or ceiling, via a two-arm fixture, capable of rotation. These large medical lamps were designed to offer bright and shadow-free lighting, allowing surgeons to work with precision and accuracy.

Surgical lighting has changed dramatically from relying purely on the natural environment in the 1870s, to the use of specialised lighting to operate on microstructures. As technology in medicine and surgery has progressed, the potential for surgical lighting has closely followed.

Due to their historical significance and unique design, vintage surgical lamps are sought after as collector's items. They are appreciated not only for their functional aspects but also for their contribution to the history of medical equipment.

Here at Loomlight, we have reclaimed and refurbished a few different types of vintage surgical lamp, sourced from decommissioned hospital ships which served The Royal Navy. We fully replace all electrical elements and replace any broken parts ensuring it is fully operational (excuse the pun) once again. At present there are none listed on our website as they are a work in progress, but if you are interested in seeing one, please do get in touch. Here is one below we actually sold to a retired Surgeon. How apt!