TK 36 - Detail (10).jpg [11/20] Title: Detail of Medical Instruments (X) - Thangka Thirty-Six Caption: The top instrument in this photograph is a hollow trephine - trephines are instruments typically used to drill holes in the skull. Although the literature does not indicate if this is the case, it describes the tool's use as a drill used on bones to create a hole. According to one source, "the tip is serrated like a saw in a whirl" (Bhagwan Dash, 13). The bottom instrument in this photograph is used for removing polyps (growths projecting from mucus membranes) from the ear, nose and throat regions. The tool itself is a sharp hook, shaped like the mouth of a calf. Sources and Further Reading: Bhagwan Dash: pg. 12-13 Dorje & Meyer: pg. 83 & 239 Jingfeng: pg. 253