Experiments with intravenous anaesthesia were undertaken in 1872 using chloral hydrate. The high mortality rates discouraged further experimentation until the early 20th Century. Thionembutal, or Pentothal Sodium, was one of these early developments. This ampoule has "Experimental" stamped on it. It has come directly from the manufacturing process. Pentothal Sodium is its trade name. It is now more commonly known as thiopentone.Glass ampoule of Pentothal Sodium (Thiobarbiturate No. 8064) 1.0 gm with large yellowed white label.Printed in black ink on label: Experimental / A 512738 / Abbott Laboratories / North Chicago. Ill., USA.pentothal, sodium, thionembutal, thiopentone, experimental, drugs, intravenous, anaesthesia, anaesthetic, john lundy, ralph waters

The Davey Paxman Experimental Steam Engine was purchased as the result of a bequest from Thomas Bath. The 'substantial sum' was used to build an Engineering Laboratory. The Ballarat School of Mines Council minutes of 08 November 1901 record: - Plans for [the] proposed building were submitted ... and ... it was resolved that a temporary building for an Engineering Laboratory be put up.' This laboratory, as an existing building, is first mentioned in the Ballarat School of Mines President's Annual Report of 1901, presented on 28 February 1902, reporting 'the erection of a building 67ft long by 33 ft wide' This report also lists all the equipment that would be accommodated in the Engineering Laboratory, including the experimental steam engine and boiler. The experimental Davey-Paxman steam engine arrived in Ballarat towards the end of 1902. The Engineering Laboratory was opened on 14 August 1903 by His Excellency Sir Sydenham Clarke. This engineering laboratory remained in use till about 1945. By 1944 preparations were under way at the Ballarat School of Mines to expand existing facilities, to be ready for the influx of returned soldiers. A new Heat Engines laboratory was built, this time of brick construction, replacing the previous corrugated-iron shed. In the early stages the steam engine was used to drive an overhead transmission shaft for machinery in the adjacent workshop. Later the steam engine was moved to a space that became the Heat Thermodynamics Laboratory. At the end of 1969 the engine was relocated to the Thermodynamics Laboratory at the then Ballarat Institute of Advanced Education (BIAE) Mt Helen Campus. It was donated to Sovereign Hill in 2006. According to the research of Rohan Lamb in 2001 around five experimental steam engines were made by Davey Paxman, and three of these had similar configuration to the Ballarat School of Mines Steam Engine, however, each of these was also unique with different valve arrangements. The list, which was on a scrap of paper in a folio held in the Essex Archives, confirmed that one was sent to India. The Ballarat steam engine can be dated to late 1901 to early 1902. Zig Plavina was responsible for moving the steam engine to Mount Helen, and worked on it as a technician for many years. He observed the following: * The condenser is driven by the low pressure engine. * The following arrangements are possible: i) the high pressure engine alone, exhausting to atmosphere. Condenser not used, crankshaft flanges not coupled. ii) crankshafts coupled, mains pressure (120 psi) steam supplied to high pressure engine, partially expanded steam delivered to low pressure engine (Tandem operation). Choice available re exhaust steam: either to the condenser or to atmosphere. iii) crankshafts not coupled, reduced pressure steam supplied to low pressure engine. Exhaust steam - either to the condenser or to atmosphere. * Valve arrangement - a choice of Pickering cut-off or throttle governor. On low pressure engine - throttle governor only.Black and white photograph of the Davey Paxman Experimental Steam Engine installed at the Ballarat School of MInes. steam engine, model steam engine, davey paxman, thomas bath, experimental steam engine

Basil Watson departed Melbourne on 24th January 1917, on the initial leg of Australia's first 'barnstorming' aviation tour, promoted by the entrepreneurs Albert Sculthorpe and R. Sissons. During the trip, which lasted over a month, Watson visited Warrnambool, Hamilton and Mount Gambier, before returning via stopovers at Casterton, Hamilton, Warrnambool and Camperdown. At each town he presented a public flying demonstration for crowds of spectators, featuring his usual aerobatic displays with feats such 'looping the loop', upside down flying, somersaulting and 'perpendicular nose dives', generating much amazement and admiration. The promoters had received approval from the Postmaster General's Department to carry an experimental airmail consignment on the return journey from Mount Gambier, and Watson landed in Albert Park on his arrival back in Melbourne on 27th February, carrying over 1,000 pieces of airmail collected from each of the towns on route. Much of the mail was in the form of official souvenir postcards commemorating the event, which were reposted on arrival to local addresses in Melbourne. Churchward, M. (2017) Basil George Watson, Pioneering Aviator (1894-1917) in Museums Victoria Collections https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/articles/15473 Accessed 18 December 2018.Book. ' Basil G. Watson, Pioneer Airman, the Mount Gambier to Melbourne 1917 experimental air mail'. Grey cover, 39 pages with photographs and illustrations.H.N. Eustisbiography, aviation, basil g. watson, aviation, airmail, bendigo, basil g. watson.eric j. ames pty ltd printers, 14 chesser street adelaide

The Davey Paxman Experimental Steam Engine was purchased as the result of a bequest from Thomas Bath. The 'substantial sum' was used to build an Engineering Laboratory. The Ballarat School of Mines Council minutes of 08 November 1901 record: - Plans for [the] proposed building were submitted ... and ... it was resolved that a temporary building for an Engineering Laboratory be put up.' This laboratory, as an existing building, is first mentioned in the Ballarat School of Mines President's Annual Report of 1901, presented on 28 February 1902, reporting 'the erection of a building 67ft long by 33 ft wide' This report also lists all the equipment that would be accommodated in the Engineering Laboratory, including the experimental steam engine and boiler. The experimental Davey-Paxman steam engine arrived in Ballarat towards the end of 1902. The Engineering Laboratory was opened on 14 August 1903 by His Excellency Sir Sydenham Clarke. This engineering laboratory remained in use till about 1945. By 1944 preparations were under way at the Ballarat School of Mines to expand existing facilities, to be ready for the influx of returned soldiers. A new Heat Engines laboratory was built, this time of brick construction, replacing the previous corrugated-iron shed. In the early stages the steam engine was used to drive an overhead transmission shaft for machinery in the adjacent workshop. Later the steam engine was moved to a space that became the Heat Thermodynamics Laboratory. At the end of 1969 the engine was relocated to the Thermodynamics Laboratory at the then Ballarat Institute of Advanced Education (BIAE) Mt Helen Campus. It was donated to Sovereign Hill in 2006. According to the research of Rohan Lamb in 2001 around five experimental steam engines were made by Davey Paxman, and three of these had similar configuration to the Ballarat School of Mines Steam Engine, however, each of these was also unique with different valve arrangements. The list, which was on a scrap of paper in a folio held in the Essex Archives, confirmed that one was sent to India. The Ballarat steam engine can be dated to late 1901 to early 1902. Zig Plavina was responsible for moving the steam engine to Mount Helen, and worked on it as a technician for many years. He observed the following: * The condenser is driven by the low pressure engine. * The following arrangements are possible: i) the high pressure engine alone, exhausting to atmosphere. Condenser not used, crankshaft flanges not coupled. ii) crankshafts coupled, mains pressure (120 psi) steam supplied to high pressure engine, partially expanded steam delivered to low pressure engine (Tandem operation). Choice available re exhaust steam: either to the condenser or to atmosphere. iii) crankshafts not coupled, reduced pressure steam supplied to low pressure engine. Exhaust steam - either to the condenser or to atmosphere. * Valve arrangement - a choice of Pickering cut-off or throttle governor. On low pressure engine - throttle governor only.Black and white photograph of the Davey Paxman Experimental Steam Engine. On the brake is returned serviceman Norman WIlliam Ludbrook (Diploma Electrical Engineering, 1952). Far right is Roy E. Mawby (Diploma Electrical Engineering, 1950)steam engine, model steam engine, davey paxman, electrical engineering, laboratory, scientific instrument, norman ludbrook, norman william ludbrook, roay mawby, roy e. mawby

Black and white photograph entitled “E.J. Harrung and an experimental pot of optical glass” Duplicate of no 157 On back of image in ink: “36 Prof. Hartung” On front of image in ink: “36”

Black and white photograph entitled “G.A. Ampt and E.J. Hartung and experimental pots of opitcal glass” Duplicate of no. 158On back of image in ink: “37 L to R: G.A. Ampt and Prof. Hartung”, “1886-1953 see ADB Vol 7” On front of image in ink: “37”

Article re films made by Melbourne University experimental film unit 'The Wheel' and 'August Schwerkolt slept here'.melbourne university experimental film unit, mitcham repertory group, uhl, jean, grant, max, brearly, gil

William Jackson Thomas is credited with making the first ever telephone call in Victoria. Thomas was a customs inspector at the Geelong Customs House and a keen amateur scientist, astronomer and woodworker. He experimented with electricity and induction to develop his own telephone soon after its invention by Alexander Graham Bell. He built most of the experimental telephone equipment himself – right down to the screws. According to the Geelong Advertiser, on 27 December 1877, Thomas held a telephone conversation with friends in a summer house 40 metres away.This instrument is of great historic significance as the instrument which made Australia's first telephone call in 1877, between two houses in Geelong. Although predated by Alexander Graham Bell's invention, this instrument is an example of Australian innovation and design; characteristic of Australian communications history. The instrument has excellent provenance, carrying a descriptive plaque about the use of the item. As an early prototype of a telephone, it is an incredibly rare example of communications technology.Stained wooden rectangular box containing mechanism with circular turned section at one end being the receiver and transmitter. There are 3 metal screws at the rear and a leather strap running from one of these to the transmitter/receiver. A label is on the base.On label: "First telephone made in / Victoria 1878 / Used experimentally between / Geelong and Ballarat and Geelong Queenscliff. / Maker WJ Thomas Esq. / Late H.M. Customs Geelong / Certified by A.C. Thomas For the above W.J.T."telephone, inventions

A5 sized hard cover book with a black inner cover, outer cover is purple paper with photo of a bee on the front & cream writing. The back is cream with black & purple writing listing diseases. Inside the front cover is a blurb about the book & inside the back cover is a blurb about the author Author Leslie Bailey, M.A., PH.D Rothamsted Experimental Station Illustrations by J Phillip Stradbery

This is a booklet produced in 1967 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the aeroplane flights of Basil Watson in 1917 (the Mount Gambier to Melbourne 1917 Experimental Air Mail). In the 1967 Mount Gambier/Melbourne air mail flight re-enactment the aircraft was from Aviation Services (Hardingham) Limited, a Piper Cherokee, and on board was Douglas Watson, Basil Watson’s nephew. Basil Watson was a pioneer aviator who built his own plane which had a 50 H.P. Rotary Gnome engine. He flew the first aeroplane to Warrnambool in January 1917, bringing with him the first air mail to the town. In Warrnambool he amazed the crowds with his dare-devil aerial acrobatics over the Warrnambool Racecourse. He died two months later, crashing into the sea near Point Cook. This booklet is of great interest as it gives details of the life of Basil Watson, important in Warrnambool’s history as the first man to fly into the town in 1917 and the first person to bring air mail to Warrnambool, including a letter from the Lord Mayor of Melbourne to the Mayor of Warrnambool. This is a booklet of 16 pages produced to commemorate the Mount Gambier to Melbourne 1917 Experimental Air Mail Flight. It has a grey cover with black printing and an image of an early model aeroplane on the front cover. The text includes illustrations, maps and black and white photographs. The first page has two signatures. The booklet has been stapled but the staples have been removed.‘Donated by Mrs Giles W’bool’ ‘J.C.Hardingham, Pilot’ ‘D.Watson’ basil watson, history of aviation in victoria, history of warrnambool

Black and white photograph. Crop of sugar beet in a paddock with a man standing in the middle of it and a draught horse in the background. Sugar beet mill on right side.Caption on front, "A Crop of Sugar Beet. Maffra." On reverse, "A Government experimental plot of beets grown near the factory."crop, sugar beet, maffra, government experimental plot, mill, government factory, sugar beet mill

Letter from POrt Pirie School of Mines asking the Ballarat School of Mines for advice on their experimental engineering course, in particular the practical component, "which I understand your School carries out very successfully."port pirie school of mines, ballarat school of mines, letterhead, engineering, experimental school of mines, whandu ohland

The Ballarat Junior Technical School was a division of the Ballarat School of Mines. It was a school for preparatory technical work in trade, art and science. it opened in 1913 in the bluestone building adjoining Dana Street Primary School. In 1921 in moved into a custom built brick building on the Ballarat School of Mines site. 23 page soft charcoal coloured book. Contents include: Aim of the School, curriculum, compulsory drill, evening school, rules, work programme. Images include: Modelling Class, Sheetmetal Work, Experimental Science, woodworkballarat school of mines, the ballarat junior technical school, alexander peacock, frank tate, donald clarke, d.f. skewes, w. stone, w. fenton, john fraser, p.j. pringle, a.e. cutter, hugh v. mckay, e.c. chamberlain, d. maxwell, f.a. event, frank hassell, clegg, miller, p.s. richards, john white, w.p. davies, m.b. john, jelbart, trahar bros, gower, benoit, stansfield and smith, w.h. chandler, arthur farrer, percival selwyn richards