Simpson's long forcepsGeorge Tiemann and CompanySimpson, James Y. (1811-1870)Thoms, Herbert (1885-1972)1848A pair of metal forceps with wooden handles. James Y. Simpson (1811 - 1870) of Edinburgh was a prominent obstetrician and the discoverer of chloroform as an anesthetic. His long and short forceps of the mid-nineteenth century were widely used and became the models for future designs.still image