Historical information

Sir Frederic W. Hewitt (1857-1916), an accomplished and well respected English anesthesiologist, was an expert in the function and use of the Clover Ether Inhaler. In 1901, Hewitt described his modification of the Clover Inhaler. Often referred to as the Hewitt Wide-Bore Inhaler, Dr. Hewitt introduced changes in order to make it easier to breathe through the device
and improve the ventilation of oxygen and carbon dioxide. In 1901, Hewitt was recruited to anesthetize King Edward VII for emergency abdominal surgery. This was just a day or so before the new King was to be coronated. He recovered well, and Hewitt became the first anesthesiologist ever to be knighted. (Source: Wood Library Museum)

Physical description

Tall black round topped box with brass hooks at the sides and brass hinges at rear. There is a brown fabric handle on the top. The box has red padding inside the lid and red lining inside the base and sides. There is a round section in the base of the box for holding the round clear glass bottle for ether. There is also a ellipse-shaped metal inhaler on small metal base with a thin metal handle and pipe with bakelite plug attached via a small metal chain. A brown mask is made of brown leather and celluloid which is connected to the inhaler. There is a metal ether measure for pouring the ether.

Inscriptions & markings

On notecard in box: (B) HEWITT'S INHALER 1895, MADE BY GEO. BARTH & CO LTD., ADVERTISED AS THE SOLE MAKERS OF THE INHALER AND RECOGNISED BY HEWITT IN HIS TEXT BOOK - ANAESTHETICS AND THEIR ADMINISTRATION - AS THE MAKER OF HIS INHALER. / GIVEN BY DR. E.S. HOLLOWAY IN 1951, WHO ACQUIRED MUCH OF HOWARD JONES' EQUIPMENT AFTER THE LATTER'S DEATH.
Stamped on underside of glass bottle in a circle: WUBW [illegible]
Blue sticker on inhaler: O.2.13.
Printed on inhaler under handle: Geo Barth [illegible] / SOL [illegible]
Printed on body of inhaler: Full
Printed on body of inhaler: 1/2
Printed on inside of leather mask: F35