This vaporiser is enclosed in a portable black cylindrical bakelite carry case with moulded handle, woven fabric strap and single steel latch. The item comprises a three-chambered vaporiser, an assortment of attachments including black ribbed rubber tubing, light brown rubber rebreather bag, facemask, black rubber mask harness, Connell pharyngeal airway with connector, an attachment for an endotracheal or nasal tube, as well as spare thermometer and other parts.Stencilled in white paint on the outside top lid is 'THIS SIDE UP / WITH CARE / SEE INSTRUCTIONS / INSIDE LID'. Serial number is inscribed on metal plate inside the lid and printed in white on the inside lid is 'IMPORTANT / The Oxford Vaporiser is a scientific apparatus'vaporiser, oxford, anaesthetic, portable, bakelite, connell pharyngeal airway, heated vapor, endotracheal, nasal, rebreather bag, thermometer, facemask

The Epstein, Macintosh, Oxford vaporizer (EMO) was designed in 1952 by Dr H. G. Epstein and Sir Robert Macintosh of the Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics at the University of Oxford, with the aid of their technician, Mr Richard Salt. It was essentially a refinement of their earlier Oxford vaporizer and designed specifically to deliver ether in known concentrations, irrespective of the temperature of the ether. Robert Macintosh was born at Timaru New Zealand in 1897. In December 1915 he travelled to Britain and was commissioned in the Royal Scots Fusiliers, soon transferring to the Royal Flying Corps. He was shot down behind enemy lines on 26 May 1917 and taken prisoner, escaping several times. When the war ended he returned to medical school and qualified in 1924 as MRCS LRCP. Macintosh's initial intention was to be a surgeon, but soon after qualifying he developed an interest in the field of anaesthesia. Macintosh became the first professor of anaesthetics at Oxford although the university was at first against the appointment. He recruited the scientists Dr Kurt Mendelssohn and Dr H G Epstein and together they designed and built the Oxford vaporiser, a simple, portable, and accurate means of delivering varying concentrations of ether which was to see service in the second world war. He was knighted in 1955 and died at Oxford in 1989.The apparatus is a round, barrel style object with three small rubber feet and a moulded handle over the top. It consists of a vaporising chamber, wick, ether level indicator, temperature compensating value, air bypass chamber and mixing chamber. Manufacturer's label on reverse: EMO, Longworth Scientific Inst. Co. Ltd. England. Serial No. 5878macintosh, epstein, oxford, vaporiser, nuffield, ether

Black and white photograph of a man sitting at a table where he is studying the workings of an Oxford vaporiser which is in parts, and reading the accompanying information panel. There is other anaesthetic equipment around him.•Handwritten in black ink by Geoffrey Kaye on reverse: Frame 20. •Handwritten in grey pencil on reserve: 23. 20 has been crossed out. •Caption on bottom of photograph written in white ink on black paper and glued down: HOW THE WHEELS GO ROUND. oxford vaporiser, anaesthetic equipment