Mary Howlett (1840-1922) began practising as a country midwife in 1866 in the western district of Victoria. She qualified as a 'ladies monthly nurse' in 1887 and continued to practise as a nurse and midwife until 1920.She began her six months training at the Melbourne Lying-In Hospital. She was known by many as 'Auntie', and her career spanned more than 50 years. Mrs Howlett's midwifery box and contents were given to Dr Frank Forster, and he donated them to the museum collection in 1993.Made of a heavy white metal. Metal cap covers the actual spray applicator. There are two curved metal tubes leading to the outlet spray. In addition to the metal object there is a small metal connection with a small metal insertion. The metal connection is attached to a piece of old red rubber tubing.midwifery

This pessary was often used for a condition called retroflexion of the uterus. Similar in style to Chamber's stem pessary.Wishbone style pessary, consisting of two white metal arms attached to a ring. The arms are slightly curved, like tweezers, and end in small, spoon-like prongs. intrauterine device, pessary

This type of pessary was used in the treatment of retroflexion of the uterus. Thomas’ Retroflexion Pessary is narrower in proportion to its length, while the greater bow is enlarged to a bulb-like form. It enjoyed great popularity and as such was manufactured in a great variety of sizes. Comprised of hard rubber because of its lightness and the high polish that may be given it. The shape can be adjusted by covering the device in petrolatum and heating it with a spirit lamp or immersing it in boiling water. Manufactured in three sizes, and could be combined with a cup and stem external support. See Allen & Hanburys Gynaecological instruments catalogue, page 707.Vulcanite pessary. Pessary is loosely horseshoe shaped, tapering to a point at the proximal end. The curve of the pessary at the distal end thickens and is rounded. Majority of the pessary is concave.intrauterine device, pessary

This pessary was manufactured by Allen and Hanburys in three sizes - large, medium, and small. The pessary was originally regarded as an instrument and made from cork, ivory, hard rubber or gum-elastic. In later times, they were made from black vulcanite, flexible tin, soft copper wire covered with Indian rubber, and celluloid. The form of the pessary was and still is variable -either round, oval, or moulded in some cases combining three or four curves depending on the size of the pessary. In ancient times, medicated pessaries were made from emollient. astringent and aperient. Several of these are still used, but in more modem times are called vaginal suppositories. Anal suppositories are still used to suppress the pain of haemorrhoids.Thomas style supportive antiflexion pessary. Pessary is made of black vulcanite and is inscribed with number "65". Pessary is thickened at distal end and tapered at proximal end.intrauterine device, pessary

Needles in this collection include: -2 x abdominal triangular cutting edge suture needles, used for skin suture. Size 2/0 -Morrison's half circle round bodied suture needle, size 3 and size 2 -Bonney's regular curved cutting edge suture needle, size 7 or 8 -Regular curved triangular pointed suture needle, size 2 and size 6 -Ferguson's round point half circle suture needle, size 15 -Hagerdorn's reversed 1/20 suture needle, size 7 -Bonney's curved suture needle, size 7 and size 9 -Regular curved triangular cutting point suture needle, size 15 -Boston/intestinal fine round bodied half circle suture needle Dr Mitchell Henry O'Sullivan worked in the Victorian country town of Casterton as a general practitioner from 1919 until his death in 1977. He also practiced obstetrics. His son, Dr David More O'Sullivan donated his obstetric bag and its contents to the College in 1999. The bag and contents are a unique time capsule of the type of instruments and pharmaceuticals used in the inter-war period.Collection of suture needles in wooden case. Consists of four, loose, crescent shaped needles, and an additional nine needles stuck into a piece of cork. Case is cylindrical, has a lid and is possibly made from pine wood.surgery

Dr Mitchell Henry O'Sullivan worked in the Victorian country town of Casterton as a general practitioner from 1919 until his death in 1977. He also practiced obstetrics. His son, Dr David More O'Sullivan donated his obstetric bag and its contents to the College in 1999. The bag and contents are a unique time capsule of the type of instruments and pharmaceuticals used in the inter-war period.Hypodermic glass syringe (.1) with three hypodermic needles (.2 - .4) and metal storage case (.5 - .6). Barrel of syringe is marked from with measurements from 0-20. .2 is a needle head with a rounded flange tapering towards the needle shaft. .3 and .4 are needle heads with flattened oval bulbs, attached to a round bead which holds the needle shaft. The case is oval in shape with the word 'Crystal' engraved diagonally into the top of the lid. There are two fixings attached inside the bottom of the case which form a cradle for the storage of the syringe.'Crystal'

Portable blood pressure machine with case. Device consists of an arm cuff with a tube, rubber pressure bulb and gauge. The arm cuff is made of a khaki green material, with attached velcro and an attached label that reads 'KATCH/KUFF'. Tubing and pressure bulb are made of green rubber. The pressure gauge indicates that this device is made in Germany. Case is made of black leather and the inside of thh case is reinforced with cream plastic.

Bakelite douche, consisting of three sections and two caps. Can be disassembled for cleaning.

The Royal Australian College of Surgeons (RACS) holds one of Lister's carbolic sprays in its collection.Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister, Bt., OM, FRS, PC (5 April 1827 – 10 February 1912), known as Sir Joseph Lister, Bt., between 1883 and 1897, was a British surgeon and a pioneer of antiseptic surgery. By applying Louis Pasteur's advances in microbiology, he promoted the idea of sterile surgery while working at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Lister successfully introduced carbolic acid (now known as phenol) to sterilise surgical instruments and to clean wounds, which led to a reduction in post-operative infections and made surgery safer for patients.Two postage stamps issued in the United Kingdom, 1961. The first stamp is a one shilling stamp, depicting an upper body portrait of Joseph Lister against a blue background on the left, with a profile image of Queen Elizabeth II on the right. Text printed on the stamp reads 'Antiseptic/Surgery/Lister/Centenary'. The second stamp is a four pence stamp, depicting Lister's carbolic spray against a grey background on the left, with a profile image of Queen Elizabeth II on the right. Text printed on stamp reads 'Lister Centenary/Antiseptic Surgery'.surgery

Copper intrauterine devices (IUDs), first marketed in the early 1970s, represent an important contraceptive option for 150 million women worldwide. The method is safe, rapidly reversible, inexpensive, highly effective, long-acting (up to 20 years for some products [1]), and non-hormonal; these attributes make it unique and desirable for many users. However, increased bleeding and pain cause up to 15% of users to have the device removed within the first year [2]; still higher percentages tolerate some level of these side effects yet retain use of the method. In one study, 67% of women using the TCu380A complained about menstrual side effects within the first year of use [3]. (Hubacher et al, 'Side effects from the copper IUD: do they decrease over time?', 2009)This is one of a collection of items received from the practice of Dr Lachlan Hardy-Wilson, FRCOG, Launceston, Tasmania.Sealed Gravigard IUD in original box. IUD and inserter are sealed inside a sterile plastic pocket. The box is made of cardboard and has an orange top panel with white sides. Text printed on the front of the box reads '1 Sterile Pack/Gravigard*/contraceptive/copper/contraceptive/FRAGILE/Do not bend or crush/SEARLE'. Text printed on side of box reads 'Made in England Supplied by Searle Laboratories, Division of Searle Australia Pty. Ltd., Sydney, Australia'.intrauterine device

Multiload is an IUD, an intrauterine device used for contraception. The plastic used in this IUD is a mixture of high density polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer and barium sulphate in a weight ratio 44/36/20. (MIMS, October 2013)This is one of a collection of items received from the practice of Dr Lachlan Hardy-Wilson, FRCOG, Launceston, Tasmania.Two flat boxes containing Multiload CU250 intrauterine devices. Front of each box carries an image of a hand holding an IUD inserter, with the Multiload IUD at the top of the inserter, above a blue background on which an image of a vagina has been superimposed. Text printed on the front of the box reads 'MULTILOAD/CU250/intra-uterine/device/Attention:/the enclosed instructions should be followed carefully before insertion of the MULTILOAD-cu250'. Manufacturer's information is printed on the bottom section of the front of the box. Back of each box is printed with distributor information. One box is sealed, and one box is unsealed. Unsealed box contains one IUD, sealed inside a sterile plastic pocket. Back of sterile pocket is printed with an expiration date of 06-12-1984. The IUD is in the form of a small plastic rod, or stem, with two small flexible side-arms. Each side arm has five small protrusions. A copper wire is wound around the stem. A nylon thread with two ends is attached to the bottom end of the stem. Back of sealed box carries a sticker which reads 'Date of manufacture: /12-08-1984'.intrauterine device

This is one of a collection of items received from the practice of Dr Lachlan Hardy-Wilson, FRCOG, Launceston, Tasmania.Set of straight metal forceps, resembling elongated scissors. The tips of the forceps are serrated for grip, and there is a notch system for clamping the forceps near the handles.surgery

This is one of a collection of items received from the practice of Dr Lachlan Hardy-Wilson, FRCOG, Launceston, Tasmania.A4 sized paper pad containing a set of single page information sheets about the relevance and usefulness of a papsmear after a hysterectomy. Designed so that pages can be torn off to be given to patients one by one.surgery, women's health

Lidocaine (or lignocaine) is a local anaesthetic (numbing medication) that is used to numb an area of your body to help reduce pain or discomfort caused by invasive medical procedures such as surgery, needle punctures, or insertion of a catheter or breathing tube. It is also sometimes used to treat irregular heart rhythms that may signal a possible heart attack, and can be given in an epidural (spinal block) to reduce the discomfort of contractions during labour.This is one of a collection of items received from the practice of Dr Lachlan Hardy-Wilson, FRCOG, Launceston, Tasmania.Cardboard box containing 19 ampoules of Xylocaine 1%. The ampoules are in three strips of five, and one strip of four. Expiry date noted on the box for this medication is August 1985.surgery

Used for surgery. The suture is dyed blue to enhance visibility and does not adhere to tissue, making it more easily removable when ready. It is considered to be relatively biologically inert.This is one of a collection of items received from the practice of Dr Lachlan Hardy-Wilson, FRCOG, Launceston, Tasmania.Sterile suture in packaging. Labelling on packaging reads 'PROLENE Metric 3.5 (0)/ETHICON/TRADE MARK/BLUE MONOFILAMENT POLYPROPYLENE SUTURE/TAPERCUT* V-34/Sterile 36mm Length 75 cm/8444 ETHNOR/PTY LTD SYDNEY'.surgery

This is one of a collection of items received from the practice of Dr Lachlan Hardy-Wilson, FRCOG, Launceston, Tasmania.Two clear plastic specimen jars with yellow lids. There is a label stuck to the outside of each jar for recording the contents of any specimen placed in the jar.surgery

Bupivacaine is used as a local anaesthetic. It is given as an epidural injection into the spinal column to produce numbness during labour, surgery, and for certain other medical procedures. It is also sometimes used as an anaesthetic for dental procedures.This is one of a collection of items received from the practice of Dr Lachlan Hardy-Wilson, FRCOG, Launceston, Tasmania.Bottle of medication in sterile packaging. The bottle is 20ml and contains bupivacaine hydrochloride. Label on packaging reads 'STERILE THEATRE PACK/20ml MarcainTM 0.25%/BUPIVACAINE HCI/Store below 25C'.surgery

The packing of this needle was an example of an instrument sterilisation process that is no longer employed. This is one of a collection of items received from the practice of Dr Lachlan Hardy-Wilson, FRCOG, Launceston, Tasmania.Needle wrapped in gauze, padding and cloth. surgery

The packing of these needles is an example of an instrument sterilisation process that is no longer employed. This is one of a collection of items received from the practice of Dr Lachlan Hardy-Wilson, FRCOG, Launceston, Tasmania.Three needle attachments wrapped in gauze, padding and cloth. surgery

The packing of this needle is an example of an instrument sterilisation process that is no longer employed. This is one of a collection of items received from the practice of Dr Lachlan Hardy-Wilson, FRCOG, Launceston, Tasmania.Three-inch needle attachment wrapped in gauze, padding and cloth. Handwritten scrap of paper inside wrapping reads 'Sterile/22.3.89'. It originally reads as 'Unsterile' but the 'Un' has been crossed out.surgery

Copper intrauterine devices (IUDs), first marketed in the early 1970s, represent an important contraceptive option for 150 million women worldwide. The method is safe, rapidly reversible, inexpensive, highly effective, long-acting (up to 20 years for some products [1]), and non-hormonal; these attributes make it unique and desirable for many users. However, increased bleeding and pain cause up to 15% of users to have the device removed within the first year [2]; still higher percentages tolerate some level of these side effects yet retain use of the method. In one study, 67% of women using the TCu380A complained about menstrual side effects within the first year of use [3]. (Hubacher et al, 'Side effects from the copper IUD: do they decrease over time?', 2009)This is one of a collection of items received from the practice of Dr Lachlan Hardy-Wilson, FRCOG, Launceston, Tasmania.Two sealed Gravigard IUDs. IUD and inserter are sealed inside a sterile plastic pocket. Manufacturer information is printed on a cardboard insert which holds each IUD inside the pocket.intrauterine device

Developed by Dr Jack Lippes in 1962, the Lippes Loop was commonly used as a contraceptive device from the 1960s to the 1980s. Due to its low cost and the ease of inserting and removing the device, it quickly became the most popular IUD in the world during its time. This is one of a collection of items received from the practice of Dr Lachlan Hardy-Wilson, FRCOG, Launceston, Tasmania.Two sealed Lippes Loop IUDs, Size C. IUD and inserter are sealed inside a sterile plastic pocket. Manufacturer information is printed on a cardboard insert which holds each IUD inside the pocket. The packaging of the first Lippes Loop is printed with an expiry date of Jan 83 on the back. The packaging of the second Lippes Loop is printed with instructions for use on the back.l intrauterine device

Developed by Dr Jack Lippes in 1962, the Lippes Loop was commonly used as a contraceptive device from the 1960s to the 1980s. Due to its low cost and the ease of inserting and removing the device, it quickly became the most popular IUD in the world during its time. This is one of a collection of items received from the practice of Dr Lachlan Hardy-Wilson, FRCOG, Launceston, Tasmania.Lippes Loop IUD, Size B. IUD and inserter are sealed inside a sterile plastic pocket. Manufacturer information is printed on a cardboard insert which holds the IUD inside the pocket. The packaging of the IUD is printed with instructions for use on the back.intrauterine device

The Amnihook is an amniotic membrane perforator. It provides a doctor with the ability to artificially rupture the amniotic membrane safely and comfortably without injury to mother or foetus.This is one of a collection of items received from the practice of Dr Lachlan Hardy-Wilson, FRCOG, Launceston, Tasmania.Amnihook perforator in sealed plastic package. The back of the package are printed with instructions for use.intrauterine device

Used for endometrial biopsy. As described on packaging - 'For histologic biopsy on the uterine mucosal lining or sample extracting of uterine menstrual content.'This is one of a collection of items received from the practice of Dr Lachlan Hardy-Wilson, FRCOG, Launceston, Tasmania.Four curettes, each in an individually sealed package. Each package is labelled 'Unimar/Pipelle TM Endometrial/suction curette.' Distributed by Unimar (USA), manufactured by Prodimed (France). Batch dated 'OCT 89'.intrauterine device

Hardcover book with maroon coloured cover. Title is printed in gold lettering along the spine. Handwritten inscription on title page reads 'Presented to RANZCOG by the/author, 23 March 2023/David Kemp [signature]'.non-fictionBiography detailing the family history of the Wilson family. Arthur Wilson (1888-1947) was a foundation fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (London), and a highly regarded Australian gynaecologist and obstetrician.

Collection of papers and correspondence bound inside a plastic cover. Title page reads 'ARTHUR WILSON/Service in the Great War 1914-18/&/Selected Papers and Correspondence/Prepared for the Family Reunion/to mark/the Hundredth Anniversary/of the/Award of the DSO/at the home of/David & Jenny Wilson/12th August 2018'. There is a USB memory stick attached to the front cover which holds a digital copy of this item.non-fictionArthur Wilson (1888-1947) was a foundation fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (London), and a highly regarded Australian gynaecologist and obstetrician.