Historical information

Dr Henry Mitchell O'Sullivan was a medical doctor also practising obstetrics in the district of Casterton, Victoria from 1919 until his death in 1977.The Gladstone bag and contents were used in the inter-war period 1918-1945. His son, the late Dr David More O'Sullivan donated the obstetric bag and its contents to the RANZCOG Museum in 1999.

Significance

The Gladstone bag was put aside and the contents have remained intact. Consequently, this item is a unique time capsule of the type of instruments and pharmaceuticals usedby a Victorian country doctor in the inter-war period.

Physical description

An obstetrician's bag belonging to the late Dr Henry Mitchell O'Sullivan (1892-1972) containing various items such as obstetric forceps, destructive instruments, curette, pelvimeter, catheter, speculum, antiseptic, chloroform, iodine, catgut suture, surgical needles and twine for tying off umbilical cord after delivery.