The evolution of endotracheal intubation for anaesthesia was a slow process. Franz Kuhn (1806-1929), a head and neck surgeon working in Kassel, Germany, between 1902 and 1911, is said to have done more than any other to obtain general recognition for endotracheal anaesthesia. Kuhn's tube, is a flexible metal one inserted on a stilette which was then withdrawn. The tube was then secured with an elastic neck strap and connected by a rubber tube to a Trendelenburg cone. The glottis was packed with oiled gauze. Metal spiral tube with elaborate handle at one end and rounded at the other. There is a metal clasp at the base of the handle which all forms part of the endotracheal tube. Inside the tube is a curved metal piece that functions as an introducer.kuhn, endotracheal, airway, intubation

Captain Arthur Guedel was an American anesthetist who arrived at the Western Front with the American expeditionary force prior to America's official entry. He trained students in airway management and the monitoring of dept of anaesthesia using his chart board description of the signs and stages of anaesthesia. Black plastic tube, flattened and squared off, with a flat mouth plate. There is a metal inner tube which also has a flat plate.Stamped into metal flat plate: KING / 1 Moulded into plastic flat piece: KINGguedel, airway, pharyngeal, gilbert brown

Mask used for administering ether anaesthesia. This mask also has a carbon dioxide inlet tube. Carbon dioxide was found to promote deeper breather which assisted in attaining faster anaesthesia. The mask was designed by an American anaesthetist James Tayloe Gwathmey, (1863-1944). Gwathmey invented a range of anesthesia equipment. In 1904, he introduced this mask as one part of a resuscitation apparatus. Gwathmey modified an existing mask to more closely fit the contours of the face. The holes in the rim allow for oxygen to be delivered for resuscitation or for the delivery of a combination of oxygen and anaesthetic. Wire framed mask in tear shape. There is a hinged top bracket which allows for a piece of flannel or domette to secured to the mask, onto which the ether would be administered. There is an inlet tube near the hinged bracket to allow for the administration of CO2 or oxygen and the rim is pierced with holes.james tayloe gwathmey, ether, anaesthesia, anesthesiologist, carbon dioxide, oxygen

Oral airways, such as the Guedel, make it easier for patients to be ventilated with manual resuscitators, such as the Porton and the Ambu bag. They depress the tongue and prevent it from falling to the back of the throat where it would obstruct the airway.Black rubber curved tube with metal insert at baseHallmarked on metal: [BRITISHMADE / 3]guedel, anaesthesia, ventilation, medical history

Nitrous oxide has been used for anaesthesia in dentistry since December 1844, where Horace Wells made the first 12–15 dental operations with the gas in Hartford. Its debut as a generally accepted method, however, came in 1863, when Gardner Quincy Colton introduced it more broadly at all the Colton Dental Association clinics, that he founded in New Haven and New York City. Hospitals administer nitrous oxide as one of the anaesthetic drugs delivered by anaesthetic machines. Nitrous oxide is a weak general anaesthetic, and so is generally not used alone in general anaesthesia. In general anaesthesia it is used as a carrier gas with oxygen for more powerful general anaesthetic drugs.Medium size empty blue coloured cylinder with rounded base and painted white neck once containing Nitrous Oxide. A large blue on white diamond shaped label is adhered onto the main cylinder body.Printed on manufacturer's label: 'CIG [logo] / [blank weights table] / DRY / NITROUS OXIDE / C.I.G. (Victoria) PTY. LTD. / 50 LA TROBE STREET, MELBOURNE C3 / Telephones: FJ 6681 / FJ 4164 / USE NO OIL / OR GREASE'nitrous oxide, dental anaesthesia, dental anesthesia, gardner quincy colton, colton dental association

Doctors trained in blood transfusion were essential to the development of Forward Resuscitation Teams during World War I. In 1918, Dr Alan Holmes a Court and his colleagues established a resuscitation team and, following their remarkable success at the battle of Hamel on July 4, teams were permanently established at each of the five Australian divisions. Each team consisted of one doctor trained in surgery, blood transfusion and resuscitation, another doctor trained in anaesthesia, resuscitation and blood donor classification, and four other assisting staff. This team moved out to the wounded, rather than waiting for them to be stretchered back. They provided on-the-spot, life-saving resuscitation. The wounded were then transported back to the Casualty Clearing Station or Regimental Aid Post for further treatment.A selection of metal cannula of various designs and sizes.blood, transfusion, intravenous, cannula

One of a range of metal face masks designed to have a cover which helps protect the patient's face.Wire frame mask designed to cover mouth and nose. There is a metal hook on the left hand side protuding from the base of the mask and wire mesh raised from the base with a circle in the middle.facemask, anaesthesia, ramsay surgical

Mechanical resuscitation devices, such as the Pulmotor and Lungmotor, were popular in the early part of the twentieth century. Their use waned in the 1920s as significant bodies like the British Medical Research Council and American Red Cross refused to endorse them. The most popular of the resuscitators to emerge in the 1930s was the E&J (Ericson and Johnson) resuscitator. The device was soon widely available, vigorously promoted with support from many medical practitioners. They were soon to be found in hospitals, emergency services like the ambulance and fire brigade, and voluntary life-saving organisations. In Australia, Norman James, director of anaesthesia at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, developed an interest in equipment for ambulances and the resuscitation of drowning victims. Little in the way of practical, portable equipment was available to either the ambulances or the voluntary life-saving organisations, such as Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA); American resuscitators, like the E&J, were expensive and bulky to import. James designed a simple portable resuscitation device for local use after being approached by Jack Conabere, secretary of the Elwood Life Saving Club (ELSC). The resulting Royal Melbourne Hospital resuscitator, or the R.M. resuscitator as it was marketed, was a simpler, manual version of those available overseas. It was gas driven with a plunger, marked “Press”, and a safety valve. The small working unit attached directly to the facemask. Once the patient was positioned facedown and the airway cleared of debris, the mask was placed firmly over the face. The plunger allowed gas to flow and lung inflation; releasing the plunger allowed expiration. This simple resuscitator was marketed by Commonwealth Industrial Gases (CIG) and became very popular in Australia with volunteer and professional rescue organisations. It represents one of the many innovations in resuscitation equipment that resulted from cooperation between volunteer life savers and medical practitioners. Norman James worked closely with Jack Conabere and the Government Pathologist to develop the equipment. ELSC was the first life saving club to use the resuscitator on the beach. While conducting an early training exercise on 23 December 1951, they used it to successfully resuscitate a man who had drowned after capsizing his home made yacht. The R.M. resuscitator was also used in more inventive ways. At Fairfield Hospital in Melbourne, a group of physiotherapists and doctors did some innovative work with polio patients, teaching them glossopharyngeal (or “frog”) breathing, as a means of becoming less dependent on ventilators. In 1981, the Australian Standards Association stated that the RM head failed to meet its revised standards and it was withdrawn from the market. Red leather suitcase with black leather trim with metal studs. There are clip locks for locking the suitcase in the closed position. The suitcase contains equipment for oxygen resuscitation. There is a space allocated for two oxygen cylinders, however there are no cylinders present.Embossed into metal plaque: The C.I.G. / Oxy-viva / PORTABLE UNIVERSAL OXYGEN RESUSCITATORresuscitation, portable, surf life saving australia, royal melbourne hospital, rm resuscitator

This small, neat, domette covered mask was widely used throughout Australia for the administration of chloroform anaesthesia.Triangular shaped mask with hinged arm at point of triangle that connects to upper frame section via a hook. Used for the administration of chloroform.chloroform, facemask, foldable, anaesthesia, anesthesia

The Bird ventilator Mark 7 is driven by medical compressed air or oxygen. It is not suited for anaesthesia unless using a special anaesthesia assistor controller attachment, which is essentially a “bag in a bottle” device.Apparatus attached to four castor stand with attached white wall connecting tubing.anaesthesia attachment, bag in a bottle

Ether in oil was used for rectal anaesthesia. Rectal anaesthesia offered a way to administer anaesthesia when using a mask was impractical, such as oral or respiratory tract surgery. Undiluted ether was irritating to the bowel and even proved to be fatal. Ether in oil, developed in 1913, minimized irritation with no reported deaths.Empty clear glass bottle with cork stopper which has become dislodged and is now inside the bottle. The bottle has a white label with handwriting on the front. The bottle has been decanted.Handwritten in ink: Ether in Oil / = parts Stamped in red ink on top left corner of label: CAU... [faded and almost indecipherable]ether, ether in oil, rectal administration, anaesthesia