St George's Health Service was established in 1912 by an order of Church of England nuns, the Sisters of the Holy Name. In 1949, the Hospital was sold to the Victorian government. For many years, St George's Health Service was known for expertise in maternity, acute medical and surgical services. From 1991, St George's Health Service began developing aged care services. From 1996 to 1998 the acute medical, surgical and maternity services were transferred to other facilities. From early 1999, St George's Health Service provided solely specialised aged care services. St George's Health Service became part of St Vincent's in March 2001, under an auspice arrangement with the Victorian government. Prior to this, the Service was part of the Inner & Eastern Health Care Network.Undated and unframed panel containing a collage of one large and four smaller photographs assembled to support St George’s Hospital. Individuals photographed are unnamed.st george's hospital - kew, promotional materials

This item was a gift to Dr Frank Forster from colleagues (and possibly students) whilst he was working at the Hosptial for Women at Soho, London, c 1965. [Source: Librarian Hilary Belton] The ashtray was made by Rocket & Co, a manufacturer of surgical instruments. Geofrey Bishop and Bryan Hibbard also have similar ashtrays.Chrome ashtray, consisting of a triangular base with three cigarette rests. At the centre of the base, on a central stem/pedestal, is a set of replica miniature forceps.dr frank forster, obstetric delivery, ephemera

Porcelain bisque figurine of a doctor holding a baby. The doctor is male, with brown hair and a moustache. He is wearing a white surgical gown and cap, with brown trouser cuffs and black shoes visible below the gown. The doctor is holding a baby by its ankles in his left hand, and is holding his right hand with the palm facing towards the baby. The baby is facing the doctor, head pointing towards the ground. The figure is supported by a plinth behind the right leg, and is standing on a flat, sandy coloured base.obstetrics

A Caponex Implanter was used to chemically castrate roosters by inserting a caponex implantation tablet into the neck of the of male chickens to make them grow faster and become more docile. The caponisation of poultry has since been banned in Australia and UK as the chemical remained within the birds which proved to be toxic to human consumption.Evidence of expired practices. 'Boots' branded box containing Caponex Implanter and instruction leaflet. Small surgical applicator. Silver in colour, resembles a syringe with a finger flange and thumb rest on the plunger. Design is for the use of insertion of a tablet rather than fluid. Long black rubber tube on the end. In 'Boots' branded box with instruction leaflet. Box is light green and red with white bold block CAPONEX IMPLANTER, all other text is black. Instruction Leaflet is small on yellowed paper with black text.On the base of the thumb rest: CAPONEX Box front: Boots Logo, CAPONEX IMPLANTER for chemical caponisation of poultry for use with CAPONEX Implantation Tablets. Box Sides: BOOTS PURE DRUG CO. (AUSTRALIA) PTY. LTD Follows with the locations in Australia of Boots. Instruction Leaflet: CAPONEX IMPLANTER for chemical caponisation of poultry for use with CAPONEX Implantation Tablets Directions for use (Directions to follow back and front)poultry, caponex, caponisation

This surgical kit of urethral silver sounds originally belonged to Dr T.F. Ryan of Nhill, Victoria, dated Dec. 1921. Urethral sounds are used by surgeons in diagnosis and treatment of urethral problems and come in various sizes and designs. This set contains two different designs. The kit was passed on to Dr W.R. Angus when he purchased Dr Ryan’s surgery in 1933, then donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village by the family of Doctor William Roy Angus, Surgeon and Oculist. It is part of the “W.R. Angus Collection” that includes historical medical equipment, surgical instruments and material once belonging to Dr Edward Ryan and Dr Thomas Francis Ryan, (both of Nhill, Victoria) as well as Dr Angus’ own belongings. The Collection’s history spans the medical practices of the two Doctors Ryan, from 1885-1926 plus that of Dr Angus, up until 1969. ABOUT THE “W.R.ANGUS COLLECTION” Doctor William Roy Angus M.B., B.S., Adel., 1923, F.R.C.S. Edin.,1928 (also known as Dr Roy Angus) was born in Murrumbeena, Victoria in 1901 and lived until 1970. He qualified as a doctor in 1923 at University of Adelaide, was Resident Medical Officer at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1924 and for a period was house surgeon to Sir (then Mr.) Henry Simpson Newland. Dr Angus was briefly an Assistant to Dr Riddell of Kapunda, then commenced private practice at Curramulka, Yorke Peninsula, SA, where he was physician, surgeon and chemist. In 1926, he was appointed as new Medical Assistant to Dr Thomas Francis Ryan (T.F. Ryan, or Tom), in Nhill, Victoria, where his experiences included radiology and pharmacy. In 1927 he was Acting House Surgeon in Dr Tom Ryan’s absence. Dr Angus had become engaged to Gladys Forsyth and they decided he further his studies overseas in the UK in 1927. He studied at London University College Hospital and at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and in 1928, was awarded FRCS (Fellow from the Royal College of Surgeons), Edinburgh. He worked his passage back to Australia as a Ship’s Surgeon on the on the Australian Commonwealth Line’s T.S.S. Largs Bay. Dr Angus married Gladys in 1929, in Ballarat. (They went on to have one son (Graham 1932, born in SA) and two daughters (Helen (died 12/07/1996) and Berenice (Berry), both born at Mira, Nhill ) According to Berry, her mother Gladys made a lot of their clothes. She was very talented and did some lovely embroidery including lingerie for her trousseau and beautifully handmade baby clothes. Dr Angus was a ‘flying doctor’ for the A.I.M. (Australian Inland Ministry) Aerial Medical Service in 1928 . Its first station was in the remote town of Oodnadatta, where Dr Angus was stationed. He was locum tenens there on North-South Railway at 21 Mile Camp. He took up this ‘flying doctor’ position in response to a call from Dr John Flynn; the organisation was later known as the Flying Doctor Service, then the Royal Flying Doctor Service. A lot of his work during this time involved dental surgery also. Between 1928-1932 he was surgeon at the Curramulka Hospital, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. In 1933 Dr Angus returned to Nhill and purchased a share of the Nelson Street practice and Mira hospital (a 2 bed ward at the Nelson Street Practice) from Dr Les Middleton one of the Middleton Brothers, the current owners of what previously once Dr Tom Ryan’s practice. Dr Tom and his brother had worked as surgeons including eye surgery. Dr Tom Ryan performed many of his operations in the Mira private hospital on his premises. He had been House Surgeon at the Nhill Hospital 1902-1926. Dr Tom Ryan had one of the only two pieces of radiology equipment in Victoria during his practicing years – The Royal Melbourne Hospital had the other one. Over the years Dr Tom Ryan had gradually set up what was effectively a training school for country general-practitioner-surgeons. Each patient was carefully examined, including using the X-ray machine, and any surgery was discussed and planned with Dr Ryan’s assistants several days in advance. Dr Angus gained experience in using the X-ray machine there during his time as assistant to Dr Ryan. When Dr Angus bought into the Nelson Street premises in Nhill he was also appointed as the Nhill Hospital’s Honorary House Surgeon 1933-1938. His practitioner’s plate from his Nhill surgery is now mounted on the doorway to the Port Medical Office at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool. When Dr Angus took up practice in the Dr Edward and Dr Tom Ryan’s old premises he obtained their extensive collection of historical medical equipment and materials spanning 1884-1926. A large part of this collection is now on display at the Port Medical Office at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in Warrnambool. In 1939 Dr Angus and his family moved to Warrnambool where he purchased “Birchwood,” the 1852 home and medical practice of Dr John Hunter Henderson, at 214 Koroit Street. (This property was sold in1965 to the State Government and is now the site of the Warrnambool Police Station. and an ALDI sore is on the land that was once their tennis court). The Angus family was able to afford gardeners, cooks and maids; their home was a popular place for visiting dignitaries to stay whilst visiting Warrnambool. Dr Angus had his own silk worm farm at home in a Mulberry tree. His young daughter used his centrifuge for spinning the silk. Dr Angus was appointed on a part-time basis as Port Medical Officer (Health Officer) in Warrnambool and held this position until the 1940’s when the government no longer required the service of a Port Medical Officer in Warrnambool; he was thus Warrnambool’s last serving Port Medical Officer. (Masters of immigrant ships arriving in port reported incidents of diseases, illness and death and the Port Medical Officer made a decision on whether the ship required Quarantine and for how long, in this way preventing contagious illness from spreading from new immigrants to the residents already in the colony.) Dr Angus was a member of the Australian Medical Association, for 35 years and surgeon at the Warrnambool Base Hospital 1939-1942, He served with the Australian Department of Defence as a Surgeon Captain during WWII 1942-45, in Ballarat, Victoria, and in Bonegilla, N.S.W., completing his service just before the end of the war due to suffering from a heart attack. During his convalescence he carved an intricate and ‘most artistic’ chess set from the material that dentures were made from. He then studied ophthalmology at the Royal Melbourne Eye and Ear Hospital and created cosmetically superior artificial eyes by pioneering using the intrascleral cartilage. Angus received accolades from the Ophthalmological Society of Australasia for this work. He returned to Warrnambool to commence practice as an ophthalmologist, pioneering in artificial eye improvements. He was Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist to Warrnambool Base Hospital for 31 years. He made monthly visits to Portland as a visiting surgeon, to perform eye surgery. He represented the Victorian South-West subdivision of the Australian Medical Association as its secretary between 1949 and 1956 and as chairman from 1956 to 1958. In 1968 Dr Angus was elected member of Spain’s Barraquer Institute of Barcelona after his research work in Intrasclearal cartilage grafting, becoming one of the few Australian ophthalmologists to receive this honour, and in the following year presented his final paper on Living Intrasclearal Cartilage Implants at the Inaugural Meeting of the Australian College of Ophthalmologists in Melbourne In his personal life Dr Angus was a Presbyterian and treated Sunday as a Sabbath, a day of rest. He would visit 3 or 4 country patients on a Sunday, taking his children along ‘for the ride’ and to visit with him. Sunday evenings he would play the pianola and sing Scottish songs to his family. One of Dr Angus’ patients was Margaret MacKenzie, author of a book on local shipwrecks that she’d seen as an eye witness from the late 1880’s in Peterborough, Victoria. In the early 1950’s Dr Angus, painted a picture of a shipwreck for the cover jacket of Margaret’s book, Shipwrecks and More Shipwrecks. She was blind in later life and her daughter wrote the actual book for her. Dr Angus and his wife Gladys were very involved in Warrnambool’s society with a strong interest in civic affairs. He had an interest in people and the community They were both involved in the creation of Flagstaff Hill, including the layout of the gardens. After his death (28th March 1970) his family requested his practitioner’s plate, medical instruments and some personal belongings be displayed in the Port Medical Office surgery at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, and be called the “W. R. Angus Collection”. The W.R. Angus Collection is significant for still being located at the site it is connected with, Doctor Angus being the last Port Medical Officer in Warrnambool. The collection of medical instruments and other equipment is culturally significant, being an historical example of medicine, administration, household equipment and clothing from late 19th to mid-20th century. Dr Angus assisted Dr Tom Ryan, a pioneer in the use of X-rays and in ocular surgery. Surgical kit of Urethral Silver Sounds, comprising white cotton fabric roll with internal pockets for instruments and cotton tape for tying closed. Part of the W.R. Angus Collection, originally belonging to Dr. T.F. Ryan, 1921. Instruments in kit are 8 male urethral silver sounds, various sizes (3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15). The 5 smaller gauge sounds have teardrop shaped handle, the 3 larger have thick disc shaped handles. Handwritten black ink script "Silver Sounds, Dr. T.F. Ryan, Dec 1921" Inside pockets have numbers in black ink from 1 to 15.Handwritten black ink script "Silver Sounds, Dr. T.F. Ryan, Dec 1921" Inside pockets have numbers in black ink from 1 to 15. 3 - “3”, “WEISS LONDON” 8 - “8”, “WEISS LONDON”, “B” 9 - “9”, “MAYER & MELTZER” 10 - “10”, “WEISS LONDON” 11 - “11” , “MAYER & MELTZER, LONDON & MELBOURNE” 12 - “12 – 15” “MATRICK LONDON” 14 - “11 – 14” 15 - “15 – 18”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, dr w r angus, dr t.f. ryan, surgical instrument, t.s.s. largs bay, warrnambool base hospital, nhill base hospital, mira hospital, flying doctor, medical treatment, medical history, medical education, medical text book, urethral silver sound, urethral sound, urethral treatment, urethral surgery, mayer & meltzer, weiss london, matrick london

The glass phial contained liquid ethyl chloride. By directing the nozzle downwards at the skin a stream of liquid squirts out, vaporising on contact.. Ether's unpleasant smell agitated patients. Ethyl chloride's pleasant odour reduced agitation. It was used for controlling pain associated with injections and in minor surgical procedures. This item was used at Orbost Hospital.This item reflects the changes and development in medicine over the last century.A blue cardboard box containing a glass phial with metal lid that forms a spray nozzle. The lid of the box has a white manufacturer's label with blue writing. The phial has a discoloured white label with red writing.Ethyl chloride (pure) 100cc Woolwich for local anaestheticethyl-chloride chemical woolwich-eliott anaesthesia medical health orbost-hospital

The glass phial contained liquid ethyl chloride. By directing the nozzle downwards at the skin a stream of liquid squirts out, vaporising on contact.. Ether's unpleasant smell agitated patients. Ethyl chloride's pleasant odour reduced agitation. It was used for controlling pain associated with injections and in minor surgical procedures. This item was used at Orbost Hospital. This item reflects the changes and development in medicine over the last century.A blue cardboard box containing a glass phial with metal lid that forms a spray nozzle. The phial has a discoloured white label with red writing.ethyl-chloride chemical woolwich-eliott anaesthesia medical health orbost-hospital

General Trained Nurse certificate for Marjorie Jean Burke issued by Fairfield Hospital Training School for Nurses. This also states that Miss Burke resided at Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital where she was trained in the nursing of infectious diseases; and at Bendigo Base Hospital where she received training in general medical and surgical cases.Miss Burke was a nurse, midwife and infant welfare sister. This collection covers her many qualifications throughout Australia and Great Britain, including references both professional and personal. When Miss Burke returned to Australia, she was employed at Diamond Valley Community Hospital as a nurse in 1953 and as Deputy Matron 1954-1971.Certificate typed on cream card and pasted into brown leatherette folder."Bourke" spelt incorrectly, corrected (to Burke) and initialled.marjorie jean burke, nurses, diamond valley community hospital, bendigo base hospital, fairfield infectious diseases hospital

This Adepsol Bottle is part of a Sanax First Aid Case which was used at the the former Carnegie Senior Citizens' Centre. The centre was located at 314 Neerim Road, Carnegie. When the Neerim Road facility closed, its activities were moved to the Carnegie Library and Community Centre. For Occupational Health and Safety reasons, Council no longer maintains first aid kits at senior citizens' centres. Brown glass bottle with red, green and white paper label with Sanax branding, and usage directions. Black plastic screw-top lid. Bottle has been decanted however some white powder residue remains. "Sanax" ADEPSOL/ A GERMICIDAL / SURGICAL / SOLVENT / THE SANAX CO. / 849-51 NEPEAN HIGHWAY / MOORABIN / TEL XU 2651 / Directions: Dilute 1 in 4 with warm water for bathing Wounds, dab dry with absorbent cotton, then apply Germicide and dressing. For removing Germs, Grease, and Dirt from Wounds and Burns before finally dressing Wounds.

The '3' on this instrument indicated it was size 3. Jetter and Scheerer were a surgical instrument maker founded in Germany in 1867. Their company symbol is that of a serpent curled around a rod, surmounted by a coronet/crown. This instrument was part of a collection of instruments used by Dr Michael Kloss in his medical practice. Dr Kloss subsequently donated this collection to the College.Metal scraper. Instrument consists of a large, six sided handle section, a short, thin shaft and a small, oval shaped scoop at the end of the shaft. The handle at the proximal end is in the shape of an elongated teardrop, hollowed out at centre. The number '3' is engraved on the shaft of the instrument. The shaft is also engraved with a derivation of the Rod of Asclepius, featuring a serpent wrapped around a rod, with the entire design topped by a crown.'3'obstetrics

The '3' on this instrument indicated it was size 3. Jetter and Scheerer were a surgical instrument maker founded in Germany in 1867. Their company symbol is that of a serpent curled around a rod, surmounted by a coronet/crown. This instrument was part of a collection of instruments used by Dr Michael Kloss in his medical practice. Dr Kloss subsequently donated this collection to the College.Metal scraper. Instrument consists of a large, six sided handle section, a short, thin shaft and a small, round scoop at the end of the shaft. The handle at the proximal end is in the shape of an elongated teardrop, hollowed out at centre. The number '3' is engraved on the shaft of the instrument. The shaft is also engraved with a derivation of the Rod of Asclepius, featuring a serpent wrapped around a rod, with the entire design topped by a crown.'3'obstetrics

This diorama is the focal point the Prisoner of War Gallery. It was originally designed and installed by a collaborative group of artists and craftsmen, all themselves former Prisoners of War in 1995. Bamboo for the display and replica prosthetics was sourced from Thailand. The mannequins are artistic interpretations of identified POW surgical staff and doctors. The original display was moved and reassembled during the Gallery redevelopment process in 2015. All items presented within the diorama are based on POW recorded drawings and diaries of experiences in the Thai Burma Railway POW camps.1:1 scale diorama showing operating theatre in POW camp on Burma Thai Railway together with reproductions of prothesis and improvised equipmentthai burma railway;

When acquired, this case held numerous pieces of surgical laparoscopy equipment. The equipment inside the case was used by Dr Noel Clarkson Holmes sometime between 1964-1967, when he was training under Dr Sidney Page at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. This case was purchased at the same time to carry this equipment, and has been repaired several times by Dr Clarkson Holmes.Brown leather briefcase. Briefcase is fastened by combination lock latches at the front. Inside of the case is lined with yellow felt. There are three accordion style storage pockets with leather trim inside the lid of the briefcase. A strip of orange tape has been attached to the outer top of the case, which carries the handwriting 'DR. N. HOLMES'. A similar strip of white tape is also attached to one side of the briefcase, which carries the handwriting 'Dr. N Holmes'

Francis Metternick - served in Merchant Navy WW2 - British or Australian ??1. Gauze bandage - white cotton, Dark Blue Paper wrap. 2. Pressure bandage - cotton twill - cream. 3. Container for Iodine - black plastic, brown screw top glass tube - attached to brown screw top. 4. Glass bottle with brown stopper containing liquid. 5. Glass syringes and i measurement pipette & 4 solid tapered glass tubes. 6. Dressings - 2 cotton, pink in blue labelled paper wrap,3.B Hax Iodine, Tincture British Pharmacopoeia Hack, 72 Red Lion Street, London, WC1. 4. Ammoniated Tincture/Quinine. Prepared in Accordance with the British Pharmacopoeia. Dose from half to one teaspoonful in a wine glass & water, Boots, Nottingham. 6. Boric Lint, Antiseptic dressing for surgical purposes. Australian Herbal stores, 10 Bath Street, Jersey C1. medical equipment, bandages, syringes

This type of forceps was invented by Italian surgeon Paolo Assalini (1759-1840). Obstetrical forceps gripped a baby’s head during difficult childbirths. Assalini’s design was immediately popular and was manufactured until the 1930s. (Wellcome Collection) Set of Assalini style forceps. Consists of two forcep blades made of plated metal. The middle section of each blade is crosshatched to allow for grip, and each blade ends in a round hook that curves inwards. One blade features a metal tab, and the other a slot, on the inner edge of the round hook that allows the blades to fasten together. There are two handwritten tags attached to the forceps. The first reads 'ASSALINI'S FORCEPS/ P/B I.B.S.T./Made by/ A.J.TAYLOR'. The second tag reads 'MADE BY/ A.J/TAYLOR/No. 3' on one side, and 'H.A./TAYLOR & SONS/(SURGICAL)/PTY LTD' on the other side. forceps, obstetric

This device was used for the treatment of procidentia (severe utero-vaginal prolapse). Cotton tape would be attached via the holes at the distal end of the instrument and tied around the waist to hold the pessary in position.The usually enlarged cervix would sit in the inserted cup. The vagina and the uterus were returned to the anatomically correct position. The instrument would be removed for cleaning approximately every three months. Women deemed to be a severe surgical risk were the beneficiaries of this treatment.Black vulcanite pessary. Consists of an oval cup attached to a stem. The stem is slightly curved and ends in a bulb. There are four holes at base of cup, and similarly on the bulb of the stem. intrauterine device, pessary

This device was used for the treatment of procidentia (severe utero-vaginal prolapse). Cotton tape would be attached via the holes at the distal end of the instrument and tied around the waist to hold the pessary in position. The usually enlarged cervix would sit in the inserted cup. The vagina and the uterus were returned to the anatomically correct position. The instrument would be removed for cleaning approximately every three months. Women deemed to be a severe surgical risk were the beneficiaries of this treatment.Black vulcanite pessary. Consists of an oval cup attached to a stem. The stem is slightly curved and ends in a bulb. There are three small holes inside a small depression at the base of the cup, and two holes on each side of the bulb of the stem.intrauterine device, pessary

The advent of anaesthesia posed immediate problems for the oral surgeons and dentists who were used to operating on awake patients with intact airway reflexes. Early anaesthetics were very light and often created an uncooperative patient. Dentists were quick to complain they had trouble opening the mouth quickly enough and dental props soon made an appearance. Gags and tongue depressors proliferated, all initially devised to improve surgical and anaesthetic access, not to protect the airway. Other instruments for opening the jaws included the somewhat fearsome devices known as mouth openers. Heister's mouth opener was incorporated in anaesthetic practice but was not designed for this purpose. Lorenz Heister (1983 - 1758) used his device for mouth inspection and for operations on the palate, tonsils and teeth in the pre-anaesthesia era. He was not impressed with the way it was used by others in his life time and believed that it overstretched the jaw when used inappropriately. Despite its apparent brutality, the Heister mouth gag was still advertised for sale in 1983 and its useful mechanism has been incorporated into modern surgical retractors.Steel cork-screw shaped object with a twist top handle which will force the two arms apart. Each arm has ribbing toward the end to create friction when inserted in the mouth.Stamped into the twist top handle: MAYER & MELTZERheister, mouth gag, mouth opener

This item belonged to Dr Cyrus Jones, who performed a lot of circumcisions. There is a section on the tape made in the museum in c. June 1997 where Dr Jones talks about this. These devices were possibly made in Melbourne, perhaps by Surgical Manufacturers. The method of use for this item is as follows. Unscrew large screw to release bell. Bell sits on tip of penis inside prepuce. Pull prepuce up & through hole to trap prepuce skin. Reassemble, & tighten screw to prepuce and cut foreskin loose.A chrome metal medical device for performing circumcisions. Consists of a metal key/foot section, and a metal screw for tightening.surgery

This is the 'old' style of Gelhorn pessary, which is similar in appearance to the Matthews-Duncan disc and stem and the Simpson's shelf gutta-percha. "This type of pessary was used in cases of complete procidenture... thus preventing dragging on the posterior wall of the bladder and the associated incontinence of which most patients complained. When wearing a large pessary with a small pessary, the uterus often came down beside the pessary." (Dr. A.J.Helm-Montigue, Down Bros Ltd. Surgical Instruments and Appliances, p. 1038.Black vulcanite pessary . Consists of a rigid short think stem with bulb at the distal end, and a solid flange at the proximal end.intrauterine device, pessary

Tanned or chronic catgut came from top quality catgut (fat free). A hardening process was then applied to the muscle durations. The process was introduced and perfected by the firm of Mersons of Edinburgh, makers of sterile surgical ligatures in the early 1930s. Once processed the catgut was preserved in an iod-asceptic preserving spirit and hermetically sealed in glass tubes. It was completely sterile and ready for immediate use. The length of the catgut in each tube was five feet, or 2.5m, and could be wound onto glass winders in assorted colours.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.Two glass vials [195.1,.3] with catgut number three "Ethicon" [195.2,.4] in sterile solution. Vials are moulded and sealed at both ends.obstetric delivery

William Smellie’s straight forceps are one of the most significant pairs of forceps in the Museum collection. William Smellie (1697– 1763), designed these forceps, which were an improvement on the forceps of that time. These forceps were easier to use being shorter and lighter, particularly in the handles, with pelvic curve shaped blades. He invented a locking device for the two blades. The blades were lined with leather and greased with hog’s lard for the ease of delivery and the greater comfort of the patient, this being in the era prior to an understanding of sepsis and the need for surgical hygiene.Smellie was groundbreaking in his understanding of Childbirth and became an influential teacher of Obstetrics. He diligently studied the birthing process, particularly the descent of the baby’s head down the birth canal. His observations lead to him noting that many deaths occurred because of a lack of understanding of this process and the inappropriate handling of forceps. Smellie is generally given the credit for improving the forceps to make them easier to use and less likely to damage the baby. Smellie’s "Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Midwifery" was published In 1751 and became a widely influential teaching resource. Copies of this birth atlas are held in the Frank Forster Library, RANZCOG. Smellie's obstetric forceps. Iron forceps with traces of leather on the two blades. The blades touch at the tips when the blades are fully closed. The handles have a metal sheet coating and would also have been covered in leather originally. There is a notch at the centre to lock the blades in place. Noneobstetric delivery, william smellie

Booklet containing information on the two critical care courses conducted by the Alfred Hospital School of Nursing [ca. 1982/83]. These are listed as an Intensive Care Nursing Course and a Cardiac Nursing Course to support the four Alfred Hospital critical care units: general intensive care, cardio-thoracic surgical intensive care, coronary care and the renal unit. The index of the booklet is listed as: - Features common to both courses - Course specifics -- Cardiac nursing course -- Intensive care nursing course - Book list (common to both courses)This booklet was donated directly from the producer and has excellent provenance and strong information on the intensive nursing care requirements of the early 1980's.A slightly larger than A5 booklet with a sand coloured cover. The cover has black printed text, printed emblem, handwriting and stamp on it. The booklet is bound by glue and the back sand colooured cover has detatched.'131-01.' [black ink top right hand corner of front cover] 'ALFRED ARCHIVAL ASSOCIATION / - NURSING DIVISION' [black inked stamp top right hand corner of front cover]intensive care nursing, alfred hospital school of nursing, course information

The advent of anaesthesia posed immediate problems for the oral surgeons and dentists who were used to operating on awake patients with intact airway reflexes. Early anaesthetics were very light and often created an uncooperative patient. Dentists were quick to complain they had trouble opening the mouth quickly enough and dental props soon made an appearance. Gags and tongue depressors proliferated, all initially devised to improve surgical and anaesthetic access, not to protect the airway. Other instruments for opening the jaws included the somewhat fearsome devices known as mouth openers. Heister's mouth opener was incorporated in anaesthetic practice but was not designed for this purpose. Lorenz Heister (1983 - 1758) used his device for mouth inspection and for operations on the palate, tonsils and teeth in the pre-anaesthesia era. He was not impressed with the way it was used by others in his life time and believed that it overstretched the jaw when used inappropriately. Despite its apparent brutality, the Heister mouth gag was still advertised for sale in 1983 and its useful mechanism has been incorporated into modern surgical retractors. This Heister heavy patterned mouth opener was acquired from an Italian Army medical unit at Tobruk in 1941 and donated to the museum in 1946.Scissor-like metal device with a screw mechanism at the top which allows for the open or closed position to be locked.heister, lorenz, mouth opener, gag, heavy patterned

This journal has been used by the Warrnambool doctor, Irving Buzzard to record his surgical operations and procedures from 1931 to 1944. Dr Irving Buzzard (1897-1981) was one of Warrnambool's best-known doctors, especially in the field of gynaecology and obstetrics. He came to Warrnambool in 1929 with his practice at Cambourne in Raglan Parade. He left Warrnambool in 1964. Whilst in Warrnambool he was active in medical associations and local community affairs. The Irving Buzzard Midwifery prize is awarded annually by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian branch).This journal is of considerable significance as it gives an insight into the work of a general medical practitioner in Warrnambool in the first half of the 20th century (For instance, the journal records that in 1931 Dr Buzzard carried out 38 major operations and 132 minor procedures.)This is a ledger of 193 pages with a hardboard black cover and the remains of brown leather binding on the spine and cover corners. The cover is partly detached from the pages. The pages contain printed red lines and handwritten entries in black ink. Pages 1 to 72 are missing and there are many blank pages.dr irving buzzard, warrnambool doctors, irving buzzard midwifery prize

This is a large metal framework covered in gauze, the whole mask completely enclosing the patient's face excluding any possibility of carbon dioxide being excreted. This object was found in the possession of the Italian Army in Libya in 1940, and donated to the museum by Dr Geoffrey Kaye. Gustave Julliard, of Geneva, after a death from chloroform had occurred in his practice, abandoned the use of that anaesthetic and adopted ether. He administered it from a large, wire frame, the outside of which was covered with waxed cloth to make it impermeable to air, the inside with surgical gauze on to which the ether was poured. Large metal wire frame mask, covered in waxed paper, with gauze wrapped around the rim to prevent ether leaking out, effectively forming a rebreathing apparatus.ether, carbon dioxide, italian army, libya, 1940

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