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. The contents of this box are consistent with use by a midwife, but such a box would have been cumbersome and heavy to carry around. It is possible that Mary Howlett would also have had a bag for her midwifery requirements.This midwifery box is highly significant as it includes close to the original contents of one midwife's 'professional kit' up to 1920. The contents reveal something of the professional practice of a midwife in country Victoria at that time.A wooden box with hinged lift-up lid, one drawer, and an inner wooden tray. Rests at each side inside box indicate another tray may have originally sat across the top. Pasted inside the lid is a product list from Robert McDonald (chemist and druggist). There are locks for both the main chest section and the drawer. A circular section is cut out of the bottom of the drawer. The contents of the box include, enema syringe, a red rubber douche, glass breast pump, nipple shields, a thermometer in travel case. Also includes cotton bandages, a tooth extractor, and fetal stethoscope.midwifery

These were intended for use during pregancy, worn as an aid for the correction of inverted or depressed nipples. Nipple shields will help some babies attach to the breasts, that are otherwise unable to. Shields are made of a fine, silicone material that sits over the areola and nipple. (Source: Mater Mother's Hospital, 'Engorgement and Breast milk Oversupply')Two nipple shields with original cardboard box and leaflet. Each nipple shield is plastic and consists of two parts which are separated by turning the top part anti-clockwise. The bottom part of each shield has a central opening 3cm in diameter. Box is cube shaped with olive green writing. Instruction leaflet is printed in red. Text imprinted on shields reads "OPEN [two way arrow] CLOSE"/"ESCHMANN ENGLAND". Text on lid reads "Two/MEREDITH/BREAST/SHIELDS" with some specifications.breast feeding

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 the 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. 'Horrocks' saline infusion apparatus. Consists of white, metal lidded oval shaped case [169.1], containing a gauze insert, a glass intravenous drip chamber [169.2], straight intravenous needle [169.3], wire insert for the needle [169.4] and rubber tubing [169.5]. Inscribed inside box, "Down Bros., St Thomas Street, Borough of London."hydration

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.Wooden handled brush with pig hair bristles. With oval shaped metal case consisting of lid and base.disinfection

The Inhiband intrauterine device is a variety of the Grafenberg Ring. The Grafenberg ring was developed by Dr Ernst Grafenberg in the late 1920s. This coincided with the beginnings of the modern birth control movement. Grafenberg and Herbert Hall migrated to the USA during the Hitler era and brought with them the knowledge of the intrauterine ring. Herbert Hall developed a stainless steel version of the Grafenberg ring in 1949 and used it with select private patients in New York. A report on his results was published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1962. The Inhiband product bears his name in brackets. The dispensing box and five remaining containers with Inhiband IUDs inside were from the Albert Street East Melbourne rooms of Dr Geoffrey Bishop. This contraceptive device was commonly used in the 1960s-early 1970s.White plastic container with clear plastic hinged lid and white plastic insert with slots for 10 individual containers of Inhiband IUDs. Contains five individual white plastic containers which hold Inhiband IUDs. The five intrauterine devices resemble a metal ring in design and are unused and still in their packaging. contraceptive, intrauterine device

Presented to Mrs A.M. Foster (husband a director, may have been major shareholder) on occasion of laying of foundation stone at Maffra Sugarbeet Factory in 1897. Representatives of Frederick Barley, who visited the museum in September 2009 believe they have an identical trowelA silver presentation trowel with handle of unknown white compound, in an oblong case. The case is covered in black leatherette/paper, with green satin lining in the lid and black velvet inner base. Engraved to mark the laying of the foundation stone at the Maffra Sugarbeet Factory in 1897 by Mrs A.M. Foster. Much embellished with hand engraving. Box edged inside with ruched satin around edges."Presented to Mrs A.M. Foster on the occasion of laying the memorial stone for the Beet Sugar Factory at Maffra on June 19th 1897 by Waring and Howden [Bowden?] builders.sugarbeet

Created as American motor vehicle first aid kit in World War 2 but used in Vietnam. Green metal first aid box with hinge, two metal clasps and metal carry handle. Inside lid has label "24 Unit Kit" and general first aid instructions.Kit contains 11 cardboard boxes containing: 3x 4 inch bandage compress, 2 inch bandage compress, eye dressings, 3 eye dressing sets, 3x burn injury set each with 2 orange tubes of ointment and small wooden spatula , 2 large first aid dressing, I card with 5 safety pins, one tourniquet with instruction label attached, jar of Vaseline, 2 x pieces of cotton fabric ( possibly cut from a singlet)'First aid for emergency use only"/ U.S. Army Medical departmentfirst aid, medical, united states equipment, kit, us army, bandages, tourniquet

Olive green enamelled stereoscope enclosed in olive green wooden hinged box. Two test stereoscopic pictures of a rhino also kept in box. A wooden oddment (10 cm) is also enclosed.Engraved in white on stereoscope: “DC-1940 Serial No. 32” Label on front of box: “stereoscope”

Black wooden box with cream coloured embossing on lid and front section. Inside has dark crimson velvet panel (writing surface) which lifts up for storage. Has section for pens/nibs.

Toys and games collection. Set of twelve children's picture blocks. In cardboard box with a scene of a man, woman and small girl on the lid of the box. The blocks may be assembled into six different pictures.toys, general, blocks

Toys and games collection. Wooden box containing children's picture blocks. Box is covered in paper with depictions of stamps of the world. The broken lid is tied with a fabric tie.toys, general, blocks

Object. Rectangular shaped, navy blue cardboard box, with a cardboard hinged lid. 13 cms long, 6 cms wide, 1.5 cm deep. On the receipt of this box it contained two lodge regalia lapel badges . Refer 11415.11. 11415.12.HARVEY C.SMITH PTY.LTD. MASONIC REGALIA SPECIALISTS, 57-59 SWANSTON ST., MELBOURNE, C1,Phone Central 6712.organisation, masonic lodge, cardboard box for masonic regalias

Object. Box covered in a leather textured finish, over wooden box. Lined with royal blue coloured silk satin, and with a tiny press button metal clasp. Inside of the lid, is the remainder of a label reading; ? B. EDWARDS, Watchmaker, Jeweller and Optician, BENDIGO,Phone737organisation, masonic lodge, black leather jewellery box

Object. Unopened boxed set of Monopoly game in black cardboard box, with red, white and silver lid, which reads MONOPOLY NEW EDITION.Parker Brothers Inc., Salem Mass New York, London. US Patents 1,509, 312-2,026, 082. Made in USAtoys, general, monopoly set

Ladies companion, red velvet covered box with brass fittings, red silk lined lid, containing 7 tools, some made of bone, for various uses including button hooks. Red leather covered wooden base with small feet and secured with a small brass catch on front.costume accessories, female, ladies companion, see peter cuffley's book chandeliers & billy tea.

Pittock tools collection: Australian Emergency Rations tin, marked Clout Nails, though tin is empty. Instructions for use of the emergency fruit ration and milk tablets, and meat & veg ration, are noted on the internal lid of the tin. Item stored in Pittock Coach Builder's Box, reference 13000.1.

Leather, oval shaped hat box (in which is stored a men's silk top hat - 11400.834). Lined in blue velvet, and blue silk. Looped handle, 29cm long, attached with 2.5cm circular metal studs - possibly brass. An oval shaped insert, lined with blue velvet and silk, hold the inverted top hat. This hat was owned by John Sargood ( refer enclosed notes) whose initials are marked on trhe hat-box - J.S. - two cms high. An internal strap of black fabric, has a leather tab at one end with a metal key shaped fastener. Unfortunately the other end is broken off. This strap would hold the hat in the cavity. An outer leather strap, 4cm wide passes over the lid, and fastens at a 6.5cm diameter, circular metal disk with key lock. End of this strap is also broken - a piece of leather is inside the hat box. Strap is marked with a two cm high letter H which lines up with the owners initials when closed J.H.S..Sargood Family Notes in Clothing Box 157.costume accessories, male, leather hat box

Very sturdy brown leather fully lined with red velvet. Base has a velvet lined insert to hold the hat in position. A 2.5cm wide braid, attached at each side, fastens with a silvery, metal clip, to secure the hat in position. A velvet covered frame sits at the top of the hat box, this has an oval shaped hole over the centre of the hat. A very sturdy, heavy lid has a strap across the lid - part of which is now missing-this strap would have fastened and locked into the circular brass locking fastener on the hat box. Two metal circular studs and stitching, hold the handle in place on the lid. A label and stamp have been attached to the lid, but are now badly worn, and a third Victorian Railways stamp can be identified.A card inside the hat box reads box 564 Cowling Collection hat box/hat. We are however unable to find any evidence of a Cowling Collection. Contains Top Hat 11400.836, packed in Clothing Box 158.costume accessories, male, leather hat box

A brass tin embossed on hinged lid with an effigy of Princess Mary surrounded by a laurel wreath, around edges are the names of the allied countries in WW1 & Christmas 1914, the tins contained various items and were sent to troops on the front, a small card inside reads, With best wishes for a victorious new year from The Princess Mary and friends at home, also contains a replica bullet which would have contained a pencil, with the Princess Mary's emblem on side.military, world war 1, princess mary tin

Cardboard blue and black mottled handkerchief box lettered in gold on lid with word Handkerchief.domestic equipment, containers, box

Green and white two piece box for Kayser Graduates School Stretch Nylons Guaranteed not to ladder written on sides, grey 9 1/2 F12/11. London, Paris, New York, Rome, Australia. Top of box has a coloured photograph of a girl in school uniform sitting on a bench seat. She is looking Towards a tall building tower surrounded by trees and gardens. Tri-fold green and white paper lining inside the box has a line drawing of the building on the box cover.Written in pen on lid of box;; Grandma Ellison made these , Ellifson Lillian May Ellison Elsiecostume accessories, female, nylon stockings box.