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

Dr. Joseph Clover (1825-1882), an English physician, first described his Portable Regulating Ether Inhaler on Jan. 20, 1877. Clover was an especially sought after anesthesiologist and early pioneer in the specialty. This was the best-known of many inhalers that Clover designed. The dome-shaped reservoir was turned to points on a control dial to gradually increase or decrease the percentage of the air that passed over the ether. Several inventors based new inhalers on this, while the original continued to be manufactured as late as the beginning of WWII. Clover, to spare the patient the unpleasantness of induction with his "closed" inhaler (1877), suggested the "mitigated-ether" technique. The inhaler was fitted with a bypass tap for the reception of N2O. The bag was filled with the gas and anaesthesia was inducted a combination of N2O and asphyxiation. Ether was then admitted gradually by rotation of the bowl of the inhaler. When the patient had been duly "weaned over" to ether, the mask was lifted, the N2O allowed to escape, the bag refilled with exhaled air, and normal anaesthesia "a la Clover's inhaler" was continued.Metal domed chamber with a bulb attachment for rebreather bag, including a tap mechanism. Remnants of the paper rebreather bag are attached to the bulb. At the other end is a yellow facemask made of plastic (probably celluloid). The manufacturer's logo has been moulded into the dome of the chamber.Manufacturer's logo: THE HOLBORN / SURGICAL INSTRUMENT CO. LTD. / LONDON •Blue sticker with white writing: O.2.4.joseph clover, mitigated-ether, nitrous oxide, n2o, closed method

The item was collected by Dr Geoffrey Kaye from a Vichy French military hospital during World war II.The inhaler comprises a black rubber face mask that connects to a metal circular chamber from which two white rubber valves are used to administer the anaesthetic agent. The ethyl chloride vials are labelled 'Kelene', a brand name. A waxed paper rebreather bag is attached to this metal chamer. mask, gas, anaesthesia, rebreather bag, world war ii, dr geoffrey kaye, ethyl chloride, kelene, french, vichy

This is a modified version of the original Clover inhaler. Joseph Thomas Clover preferred this modified version over his later, portable regulating ether inhaler.This modified Clover's ether and chloroform inhaler is composed of metal and is cylindrical in shape. There is a gas distribution control key on the top and a metal hook enables the operator to hang the vaporiser from a strap around his/her neck. Stamped on top tap: COEXETER LONDONjoseph thomas clover, inhaler, ether, anaesthetic, portable, nitrous oxide, modified, gas, coexeter london, chloroform, rebreather bag, face mask

The De Ford Inhaler was introduced in 1913 and was designed to allow anaesthesia to continue through the nose while dental surgery was happening.This inhaler is composed of metal and rubber. The oral mask and rubber covered nasal mask are connected to a curved rubber covered support that was placed on the patient's forehead to hold the inhaler in place. The gas was administered via a long tube; the terminus designed to allow for the placement of a vial containing the anaesthetic drug and a rebreather bag mount. Inscribed on the back of the mouth inhaler: 'Dr De Ford's Universal Inhaler for Somniform Nitrous Oxide etc. E. De Trey & Sons Phila. PA U.S. Pat. Pending.'anesthesia, dentistry, somniform, surgery, medical instrument, de ford, 1913, e de trey and sons, vial, rebreathr bag mount, inhaler

Robert James Minnitt introduced the concept of self-administered analgesia, using an apparatus designed and built in conjunction with London scientific instrument-maker, Charles King. The Minnitt apparatus met with considerable success and led to further modifications, including the introduction of the Queen Charlotte gas-air analgesia apparatus in 1936, manufactured by the British Oxygen Company.Black and white photograph of a Minnitt gas/air analgesia apparatus, in a Queen Charlotte case. The case is standing open with the apparatus inside. A label with instructions is on the left side of the case, and the apparatus is on the right side of the case. A nitrous oxide cylinder tank and valve is connected to a small box with a regulator. A tube with a breathing mask is attached to the box. The Queen Charlotte case has hinges on the side and a handle on the top.minnitt gas air apparatus, minnitt, nitrous oxide, queen charlotte case, anaesthetic equipment

Item issued to Frederick.E.ADDLEM VX142253. Refer Cat No 432.2 for his service history and 937P.Anti-gas eye shields x 6 in concertina package with cover. .1) Cardboard sleeve. .2) Paper concertina packaging. .3) - .8) Eye shields with plastic masks. Cloth frame at top edge, elastic card attached at each end..1) Anti-gas procedure printed on front. Gas alarms procedure printed on back.protective equipment, eyes.gas, eyes.shields

00091.1 Contents bubber face mask, With glass lenses, 00091.2 Kharki colour canvas bag, Canvas covered rubber air line connected connected to metal tin,V11 M.H. & CO. 1942gas mask, ww2, world war 2