Schimmelbusch model of anesthetic masks, used during the 20th century in Australia. Good example of the surgical instruments used by anesthetists. Anaesthetic mask made of stainless steel. Used in conjunction with a chloroform cloth. All screws intact. Spring handle is placed at the rounded end of the mask. surgery, anesthetic, chloroform

The College’s spray was one of the first pieces of surgical memorabilia to come into the possession of the College. It had been used in the Listerian wards of the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, and was presented , along with some other artefacts, by James Hogarth Pringle in 1930. Joseph Lister (1827-1912) is known as a father of modern surgery. His methods of preventing infection were controversial in their time, but are today recognized as a major advance in the practice of surgery. Lister’s life and achievements are too well known to be recounted here. The definitive biography was written by his nephew, Sir Rickman Godlee (PRCSE 1911-13), and published in 1917. Douglas Guthrie gives an glimpse of Lister at work: “...He never wore a white gown and frequently did not even remove his coat, but simply rolled back his sleeves and turned up his coat collar to protect his starched collar from the cloud of carbolic spray in which he operated...” From advances in bacteriology, and discoveries by Robert Koch and others, it became increasingly evident that airborne bacteria were not a significant contributor to sepsis in surgical wounds. They also demonstrated that the body had its own defences against invading organisms, which were seriously compromised by the effects of the carbolic spray. Gradually the use of the spray was curtailed, Lister himself finally abandoning it in 1887. Lister performed the first antiseptic operation, the dressing and splintage of a compound fracture of the lower leg, in 1865. At this time he used carbolic solution by application, and dressings soaked in the solution. The spray was developed later, after many different methods, including carbolic and linseed oil putty, had been tried in order to reduce the harmful side-effects of undiluted carbolic acid. The steam spray was developed in 1869, and announced to the medical world in 1871. Lister’s purpose in adopting the spray was to kill airborne bacteria in the vicinity of the operation before they could reach the patient. It came to be used all over the world for many years. However, it had serious disadvantages, which even Lister acknowledged. The principal problem was the inhalation of carbolic vapour by everyone in the vicinity, including the patient and the operator. In addition, if the patient had been anæsthetized using chloroform, the gas lights decomposed the vapour into chlorine gas, making any procedure an ordeal of endurance.The spray consists of a steam boiler heated by a wick, a nozzle for the steam to escape, and a glass jar for the carbolic solution. Fuel for the wick is carried in a tank at the base. Valves regulate the pressure of the steam, and the nozzle is adjustable. The boiler is made of cast iron, the fittings are brass, and the handles are of wood. Empty, the apparatus weighs 8 lbs (3.2 kg). lister, carbolic spray, antiseptic

Hygieia (Ύγεια, lit., “healing”) probably began as an abstraction, which later became personified. She does not appear to be a deity of extremely ancient origin, and there has been much scholarly debate as to exactly where and when worship of her first developed. Her cult most likely arose in the territory of Sikyon, where she was worshipped along with Asklepios, the legendary god of medicine. In later times Hygieia came to be regarded as the daughter of Asklepios, although her cult was not introduced to Epidauros, his principal sanctuary, until at least the 4th century BC. The earliest large-scale devotion to her is found in the aftermath of the Plague of Athens (420BC). The cult of Hygieia was taken to Rome, along with that of Asklepios (Æsculapius), in 293BC, to avert a pestilence. Here she gradually became integrated with the old Italian god Salus. Towards the end of the pagan era both Hygieia and Asklepios lost their specific associations with medicine, and became general protective deities. A beautiful wooden statue representing Hygieia, the Greek goddess of health.The figure is highly polished, which brings out the intricate grain of the timber. In it, the sculptor has endeavoured to combine the qualities of a classical pose with a contemporary yet timeless surreal sensuality. It will stand on a stone pedestal about 90cm high, and be placed in a prominent location in the Melbourne headquarters. The College’s statue is semi-abstract in style, carved from a single piece of jarrah. The piece of timber from which it is fashioned was salvaged from the remains of a century-old shearing shed on Rifle Downs, at Darkan in the south-west of Western Australia.

The Sidcup Collection came to RACS from the University of Melbourne, Pathology Department and is regarded as one of the most valuable held by the College. It includes the patient records created by the Australian Surgical Unit at the hospital and covers the period 1916 - 1919. There are 50 watercolour illustrations of patients sketched by Sgt. Daryl Lindsay, X-ray prints, photographs, diagrams and some case histories. Private Pritchard was treated by the Australian Surgical Unit during WW1.These casts are unique in Victoria An original plaster cast taken of a patient Private Pritchard, who required reconstructive surgery c1917-1921. The cast would have been used as an aid to surgery and used for future reference.On base,incised into plaster "PRITCHARD" .sidcup collection, university of melbourne, sir daryl lindsay, 1916-1919, plaster cast, plastic surgery, sir benjamin rank

Dormia Stone Extractor with Set of instructions in French and English. This item is a tiny apparatus consisting of four wires that can be advanced through an endoscope into a body cavity or tube, manipulated to trap a calculus or other object, and withdrawn.

alfred trinca, surgery, racs

Built in 1942-1943, the Thai-Burma Railway was a 415 kilometre stretch of railway between Ban Pong, Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Burma. It was constructed by the Japanese using civilian labourers and prisoners-of-war. It is estimated that 90,000 labourers and more than 12,000 POW’s died during construction of the railway.This is a commemorative object highlighting the role of medical personnel during the war and its impact on them personally and preofessionallyThis dogspike and its attached sleeper came from the Thai-Burma Railway. A dogspike is a rail fastening with a pointed end and a ‘plate holding’ head, giving the impression of a dog’s head. Built in 1942-1943, the Thai-Burma Railway was a 415 kilometre stretch of railway between Ban Pong, Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Burma. It was constructed by the Japanese using civilian labourers and prisoners-of-war. It is estimated that 90,000 labourers and more than 12,000 POW’s died during construction of the railway. The dogspike was donated by Bill Sharp in 2014. It commemorates the Australian Medical personnel who became prisoners-of-war. they are listed on the plaque behind the spike.thai-burma, japanese, 1942-43, commemorative gift

Farquhar McCrae (1807-50) was born at Westbrook near Edinburgh, into a distinguished Scottish family. He was educated at the University of Edinburgh and graduated MD in 1827. After a sojourn in Paris he joined the staff of the general hospital at Chatham. Here he suffered an injury during a dissection, which impaired his health for the rest of his life. He was appointed curator of the museum at Chatham, and put together a notable collection of pathological specimens. In 1838 he sought to resign on the grounds of ill health, and was then offered a posting with the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons. But with his health still poor, he decided to emigrate to a kinder climate, and arrived in Melbourne aboard the barque Midlothian. McCrae set up practice in Bourke Street with his brother-in-law, David Thomas. Both were pioneers in the use of anæsthetics. McCrae was the first to introduce chloroform, Thomas ether. Sometime after 1841 McCrae moved to Sydney, where he was one of the first medical practitioners appointed to the staff of the Sydney Infirmary and Dispensary. He died in Sydney at the age of 43 years. The sword is a dress sword of the 6th Dragoons. Made by Henry Wilkinson of Pall Mall, it is 38 inches (96.5cm) long and has an elaborately engraved and highly polished steel blade. Being a ceremonial weapon, the blade is quite blunt, and the gilt guard bears the crown and monogram of Queen Victoria, which dates the sword to late 1837 or 1838. The grip is bound in snakeskin and the sword is carried in a leather scabbard with brass mounts. It remains as one of the important links to the pioneering days of Melbourne, and early medical practice in Australasia.Sword, ceremonial, steel with brass decoration and a steel handle, highly decorated, in a scabbard of patterned black leather covered metal, brass tipped, 100 cm long. It belonged to Farquhar McCrae.

Donated by Sir Henry Newland.The samovar stands 41cm high, and is 39cm wide across the handles. It is made of Sheffield plate, and dates from the late 18th century. It is supported on a square base with four cast lion’s feet attached by elaborate mounts at the corners. The main vessel or tank is circular, and set on a short columnar stand. These elements are heavily fluted. There are two elaborately decorated solid cast silver handles attached to the sides of the tank. A long spout with a cast ivory handled tap extends from the bottom of the tank. The lid is plainer, with a fluted and scalloped edge, and is capped with a finial. Inside the tank is a cylindrical immersion container for hot coals, a primitive type of heating element. There is a crest, probably that of the original owner, engraved on the shoulder of the tank above the tap. A samovar is a Russian tea urn but the College’s samovar is not a tea urn, as it does not include the stand or the teapot. Undoubtedly it was intended to provide hot water for tea, and the absence of a matching teapot indicates a cultural difference between the English and the Russians, in the way in which they went about brewing tea. It is a showpiece, intended for use and display in the reception rooms of the house. In the 18th century tea was still a rare and exotic import from the Orient, so the serving of tea was an important act of hospitality and a statement of social status.Sir Henry Newland was the College President 1929-1935Antique sheffield plated samovar with shell design and pressed rib border, finely worked casted handles, spout with swivel top, with tapered centre column, square shaped base with cast lions feet

Long term loan from Neurological Society of Australasia Museum of Neurosurgical Instruments , South Australia Catalogue with Historical Commentaries Second Edition January 2006 Copy located at RACS MuseumSTUART MORSON'S MECHANICAL INJECTOR FOR ANGIOGRAPHY. Stuart Morson(1913 - 1980) of Sydney had this injector constructed in or before 1952. It is said that it was not used much. The injector embodies two 10 ml and two 20 ml Record syringes coupled to a single delivery system. Each is operated by a piston. The pistons are driven from cylinders drilled in a metal block within the casing of the injector; the motive power must have been hydraulic or pneumatic pressure delivered through a manifold with taps allowing each syringe to be worked in isolation. The casing also contains two linked micro switches operated from a distance; it is unclear what was the role of these switches, and it is possible that a component of the unit is lost. JB Curtisl stated that a mechanical injector was devised in 1949 for serial angiography by his collaborator Schuster, but was not felt to be safe enough for use. For many years, neurosurgeons and neuroradiologists preferred to inject by hand.

ww1, surgical set

Donated by the Alfred Hospital medical Supply Unit

Inscribed ms: 'On board his yacht Ada prior to sailing it from England to Australia in 1927. Aged 73'

A gift given to Gordon Wheeler, first secretary of RACS. Includes six coffee cups and saucers, milk jug/lid, sugar pot/lid and coffee pot. 18 pieces in totalCoffee set belonging to Gordon Wheeler .Includes six coffee cups and saucers, milk jug/lid, sugar pot/lid and coffee pot. 18 pieces in totalorange and green floral and leaf decorationssecretary, racs, retirement