Hernia surgery instruments. 16th-century illustration of instruments used by French surgeon Pierre Franco (1505-1578). Franco pioneered new forms of hernia surgery, including a technique to preserve the function of the testes. Franco also carried out operations to remove bladder stones (a form of lithotomy). This instrument is a cannula-like surgical probe. This artwork is from 'Petit traite contenant une des parties principales de chirurgie' (1556), said to be the first book in French dedicated to discussion of hernias.