Historical information

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.

Physical description

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.

Inscriptions & markings

Manufacturer's label on reverse: EMO, Longworth Scientific Inst. Co. Ltd. England. Serial No. 5878