Fleams are hand-held instruments for blood letting. Occasionally applied to humans, but mostly on animals such as horses and cows. They were thought to prevent or cure disease.
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| Item 107 – veterinary fleam c.1800s (photo by Tom May) |
In treatment, one of the triangular shaped blades of the fleam was placed over a vein, usually the jugular or saphenous. To facilitate the force required with large animals, a blow was given to the back of the blade with a blood stick so that the fleam penetrated but did not sever the vein.
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| Item 107 – veterinary fleam with two triangular shaped blades (photo by Tom May) |
Use of fleams peaked in the 1800s, but fell out of favour by the end of the century because people realised blood letting weakened animals and facilitated infection.
The Scotts had farms in the Wimmera form the mid 1860s and may have used the fleam on livestock.
The Scott fleam appears to be hand made because there are no manufacturers marks, and it resembles fleams dating from the 1850s and '60s in appearance.
Physical description
Item 107: Unmarked metal fleam consisting of two steel triangular shaped blades that fold into a brass case. Case 7cm x 2.5cm. Blades 6cm long. The tool is finely made, but is well worn and the blades are spotted with rust.
Reference
Kevin Goodman (2014) 'A short history of the fleam', http://bowsbladesand battles.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/fleam.pdf viewed 2017.
