Experimentation with electricity for medical purposes has its origins in the late 18th Century. Throughout the 19th Century it became more common, including as a proposed treatment for 'nervous' disorders. This device is a small, portable, 'at-home' device.

Device for administering electric stimulation to patients. Consists of a wooden box containing a hand driven generator, with terminals for the attachment of electrodes that may be held by the patient or placed against the patient's skin. The directions for use include information about wetting the sponges and the patient's hands before cranking the machine to produce a small electric shock.

With the introduction of nitrous oxide for patients undergoing dental treatment, 100% nitrous oxide was usually administered as an anaesthetic. This caused the patient to lose consciousness quickly and could also cause severe hypoxia. In the late 1890s, dentist Samuel Stockton White introduced this two cylinder apparatus, which could administer oxygen with N2O.

Early model apparatus with cast iron stand, and two gas bottles. Comes with two canvas gas bags and a detached metal mask and fabric connecting tube.

samuel stockton white, nitrous oxide, oxygen, hypoxia

Glass syringe with metal plunger and a three finger grip. There is red printed text on the barrel, including measurement lines for drawing up to 10cc of liquid. The nozzle is offset, not in the centre.

Glass and metal 10cc syringe with nozzle for connecting needle offset from the centre.

Stainless steel box containing a baseboard with clips to hold objects in place, a glass syringe with metal tip and glass plunger, along with two stainless steel syringe points.

Pale blue cardboard box with white (discoloured) and blue manufacturer's label adhered to front. Inside the box is a cardboard rest holding a glass syringe with metal point and hand grip. The plunger has a metal end, with a rubber or plastic plunge. The manufacturer's label records it as a Record type hypodermic syringe, an Everett Product, and distributed by the Amalgamated Dental Co Ltd of Melbourne and Sydney. Additional information on the label suggests it have been marketed as The Laminex.

Steel box holding syringe parts. There are four hollow metal rods resting in metal clasps attached to a baseboard inside the tin. Some of the rods appear to have metal wire threaded through (purpose unknown). There are a number of clasps attached to the baseboard and top-plate which indicate syringes would have been housed there.

Maker's mark stamped into tin: THACKRAY / LEEDS

H. Bellamy Gardner, an anaesthetist at the Charing Cross Hospital, was the first to use open ether in England and was responsible for popularizing the technique. Bellamy Gardner's mask consists of a wire frame which was covered with layers of gauze. He recommended constructing a face-pad consisting of several layers of gauze which were rolled together and tied to make an oval. This was applied to the face and the mask rested on the top. Ether was then administered directly on to the mask.

Oval chrome-plated steel wire frame designed to fit around a face. The wire-framed dome has both vertical and horizontal wire components to sit over a patient's nose and mouth. Ether was applied to a gauze pad which was held securely in place by a hinged wire lid. This is a modified version of Bellamy Gardner's original mask.

Etched on clasp: BELLAMY / GARDNER'S / ETHER MASK

ether, gauze

"Y" shaped hollow metal tubing with a red rubber stopper at the intersection of the "Y".

In 1940 doctors started experimenting with curare for use with electric shock therapy. Electric shock therapy regularly caused broken bones, including vertebrae, and all sorts of dislocations. The intensity of convulsions was high and couldn’t be controlled. During the 19th Century curare was unsuccessfully used to treat rabies, tetanus and epilepsy. By 1935, Harold King had isolated tubocurarine, curare’s active ingredient. In 1942, Harold Griffith successfully used standardised curare (Intocostrin) with cyclopropane. Within five years synthesised muscle relaxants were available. Intocostrin, combined with an anaesthetic agent, was a break-through for this treatment.

Solid wooden box with three separate sections inside box. First section contains electrical lead for attaching unit to mains power. Second section contains ECT unit and controls. Third sections contains electrical lead ending in plugs for holding in hands. Sections cannot be separated out, they form one unit.

Etched on to the face of the internal unit: PROPERTY OF / THE ROYAL WOMEN'S HOSPITAL Label tape affixed to top of the lid: E.C.T. UNIT OP. THEATRES R.W.H.

anaesthesia, muscle relaxants, electroconvulsive shock therapy, women

The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) began as a faculty at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS). Separation was achieved in 1992, when the faculty became a college in its own right. The relationship between ANZCA and RACS has been strong ever since, and on opening the new building at the rear of the property in 2002, RACS gifted this painting to ANZCA.

Mixed media abstract on square canvas. The painting is an orange, grey, green and white background, with an abstracted landscape in black to the centre.

Handwritten in blue permanent marker on reverse: -RETURN TO FOREVER- / T MCNAMARAHandwritten on white sticker adhered to frame: TREVOR MCNAMARA / "RETURN TO FOREVER" / 160 X 160 / MIXED MEDIA / W: 3862 BTY ZAW

At the conclusion of a term in office, the Dean of the Faculty of Anaesthetists would have their portrait taken.

This photograph is one in a series which documents the history of the development of the Faculty of Anaesthetists through portraits of past deans. The tradition has continued through to the development of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, although that also marked a transition to oil paintings rather than photography. This portrait was photographed by renowned photographic artist, Athol Shmith. As such it holds both historic and artistic significance.

Black and white image of Dr Robert Orton, wearing the robes of office of the Dean of the Faculty of Anaesthetists of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (predecessor to the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists).

robert orton, faculty dean, dean's robes, official portrait

At the conclusion of their term of office, former deans of the Faculty of Anaesthetists at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons would have their portrait taken.

lennard travers

This photo album depicts a small period of time during 1919, and highlights some of the anaesthetic work conducted by Dr Rupert Hornabrook. There is no record as to the reason for the construction of the album, but it appears to offer insight into his work the Dental School, as well as experimentation with different types of anaesthetic agents, using himself as a test subject.

Rupert Hornabrook was an early full-time anaesthetist in Australia. He helped to develop anaesthesia into a specialised field of medicine by conducting research into the way anaesthesia worked, and its effects on the body. This album is of historic significance as it not only documents a specific period in the professional life of a full-time anaesthetist in Australia, it also documents anaesthetic equipment, and the way it was used.

Blue photograph album with vinyl wrapped heavy card cover. A three ringed binder is attached to the inside of the album and sixteen (16) photographs are inside, mounted on heavy card. Each photograph has a typed label on white paper in blue ink adhered to the front describing the events of the photograph. Photographs depict various administrations of ethyl chloride as anaesthesia and analgesia, with many photographs of Rupert Hornabrook.

The Bird Mark 4 is an anaesthesia assistor or controller with pressure and volume controller to be driven by a respirator. Combination of Mark 4 with respirator makes an automatic anaesthesia respirator eliminating manual bagging. The machine can work through Boyle anaesthetic system. It is designed for both paediatric and adult application. (Drugs and Equipment in Anaesthesia Practice, Aruna Parameswari, 2019)

Green metal box atop a clear plastic unit with a black bellows inside, which forms one part of the overall unit. The unit is attached to a pole, enabling height adjustment. The pole is, in turn, attached to a set of four castors [not original].

White text on black stick on strip on top of metal box: DO NOT PULL APART / FOR USE IN THEATRE ONLY A series of instructions are printed in white text over the unit.

anaesthesia assistor, anaesthesia controller, pressure controller, volume controller, paediatric, adult

The photo contains a series of photographs depicting the correct procedure for setting up an anaesthetic tray for theatre.

Green, leather bound photo album with brown leather edge, held together by brown and gold yarn. There is gold gilt lettering on the front, surrounded by a gold gilt decorative oval, spelling out "Photographs". Inside the album are a series of heavy paper pages with photographs and labels stuck on to them. Not all pages have been used, and additional photographs were stored among the blank pages. These have now been relocated to BK3. The photos depict the various ways in which an anaesthetic tray should be prepared for particular types of operations.

White sticker [discoloured] adhered to top right hand corner of photo album, with handwritten inscription: ANAESTHETIC TRAYS

anaesthesia, anesthesia, surgery, boyle's machine, trilene, ether, laryngoscope, endotracheal tubing

Poster from the Royal Humane Society of Australia outlining instructions for "Restoring the Apparently Dead". The original poster is printed in black ink on silk .

resuscitation, drowning

Camphor has been used traditionally for many years, solely or in combination with other treatments for the relief of pain, inflammation and irritation in body and skin. Persian physicians Rhazes (860–932CE) and Avicenna (980–1037CE) used camphor extensively in the treatment of particular types of headache. Symptoms of camphor poisoning include “psychomotor agitation” and hallucinations

Pale blue cardboard box with blue manufacturer's label across the face of the box and down each side. The label has black printed text. Inside the box is allocation for ten (10) ampoules. There are three (3) clear glass ampoules each with a pale blue label with black printed text. A metal blade is wrapped in tissue paper and a thin, squared off piece of metal is also wrapped in tissue paper.

pain medicine, inflammation, rhazes, avicenna, camphor, headache

Persian physicians Rhazes (860–932CE) and Avicenna (980–1037CE) mentioned coffee in specialised writings, describing its medicinal properties. Although caffeine took centuries to find its way to Europe, it was quickly found to have medicinal value. Coffee has been mentioned in medical journals since the beginning of the eighteenth century, emphasising its capacity for nervous and vasomotor stimulation. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant of the methylxanthine class of psychoactive drugs. It is the world's most widely consumed psychoactive drug. Pfizer acquired David G Bull in 1984.

Small clear glass ampoule with black printed text on surface containing the amber coloured liquid of 2 grains in 1 cc Hermette Caffeine.

Practical Anaesthesia was the first text book on anaesthesia produced in Australia. Geoffrey Kaye was one of the contributors to this book, which included a foreword by F.H. McMechan, Secretary General, International Anesthesia Research Society.

Hard covered burgundy book with gold leaf letter on front and spine and gold leaf trim on all faces.

geoffrey kaye, mcmechan, international anaesthesia research society, alfred hospital, baker institute

The Dräeger Pulmotor was developed in 1907. It addressed previous concerns about lung injury, by limiting both the inspiratory and expiratory pressures. Although still controversial, the Pulmotor was widely distributed and commercially successful. Oxygen from cylinders provided both the inspiratory gas flow and the driving mechanism. Expiration was an active process and gases were sucked from the lungs by negative pressure created by a Venturi effect. This device came with a facemask and harness, with a caution that the operator should take care to prevent air entering the stomach.

Draeger resuscitation kit, inside wooden case with handle. Case contains small heavy gas cylinder with large beige handwritten 'S. M E' inscription on one side. Due to water damage case missing pieces of plywood in corner and floor of case bubbled and swollen.|Rubber decomposed rigid

inspiratory, expiratory, pulmotor, negative pressure

Oral airways, such as the Guedel, make it much easier for patients to be ventilated. They depress the tongue and prevent it from falling to the back of the throat where it would obstruct the airway.

Curved, red rubber tubing with a metal connector in one end.

19M.M. DO

airway, ventilation, obstruction, guedel, rubber

Between 1867 and 1920, anaesthesia for dental operations was often maintained by blowing the vapour of ether or chloroform into the patients' oral or nasal pharynx. Junker's inhalers are a "blow over" device used with a hand-held bellows to bubble air through liquid chloroform and to the patient. It was initially intended for use with bichloride of methylene, a mixture of chloroform and methyl alcohol. Ferdinand Ethelbert Junker introduced his inhaler in 1867 as appointed physician to Samaritan Free Hospital for Women (although it didn't have that name until c.1904).

Glass jar with liquid measure markers etched onto. The jar has a metal lid, with a metal tube descending into the jar. Two metal tubes are protuding out of the top of the lid, and each has a small section of rubber tubing attached. There is also a metal hook, used to attached the jar to the physicians (anaesthetist's) lapel.

Stamped into frame of metal lid: LONDON MADE

junker, blow over, chloroform, samaritan free hospital for women

Small glass container with a round base, extending into an oval shaped opening

eye bath, glass

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

Dr. Allen De Vilbiss (1841-1917) of Toledo, Ohio, developed his first atomiser around 1887. This device was designed to allow for dissolving cocaine, as a local anaesthetic agent, in oil, and spraying into the nose and throat. In the early to mid 20th Century, The DeVilbiss Company began making perfume atomisers instead of medical ones.

Red, heavy cardboard box with manufacturer's label at one end, containing a glass bottle with metal spray attachment, and a khaki rubber bulb for pumping liquid through the atomiser.

Stamped into top of metal atomiser: DE VILBISS TOLEDO USA

atomiser, local anaesthetic

A funnel, held above the patient's face, was almost the standard of giving oxygen until c.1930. It was quite useless, enriching the inhaled atmosphere by only about 3% of oxygen.

Clear dimpled glass in the shape of a funnel, with red strong running through the centre, and tied to one side.

oxygen, oxygen therapy, funnel, cig, commonwealth industrial gases

Large unused diamond shaped Austox label made for use on nitrous oxide cylinders. Dark purple, violet and white background, with white, violet and red lettering.

Information printed on label: SPECIALLY PREPARED FOR MEDICAL USES. / AUSTOX [logo] / NITROUS OXIDE / KEEP COOL / WEIGHTS: / GROSS..........LBS. ........OZS. / TARE.......... LBS. ........OZS. / NET..........LBS. ........OZS. / Contents Imp. Gallons / WARNING. - Great caution must be exercised to prevent any oil entering the cylinder, or being applied to the valve or fittings. The use of oil may lead to a dangerous explosion. / AUSTRALIAN OXYGEN / AND / INDUSTRIAL GASES / PTY. LTD. / MELBOURNE

label, cylinder, austox, australian oxygen and industrial gases pty ltd, nitrous oxide

Large unused diamond shaped Austox label made for use on carbon dioxide cylinders. Black and beige background, with beige and red lettering.

Information printed on label: SPECIALLY PREPARED FOR MEDICAL USES. / AUSTOX [logo] / COMPRESSED / CARBON DIOXIDE / KEEP COOL [in red] / WEIGHTS: / GROSS..........LBS. ........OZS. / TARE..........LBS. ........OZS. / NET..........LBS. .......OZS. / Contents Imp. Gallons / USE NO OIL OR GREASE ON VALVE [in red] / AUSTRALIAN OXYGEN / AND / INDUSTRIAL GASES / PTY. LTD. / MELBOURNE

label, cylinder, carbon dioxide, cig, commonwealth industrial gases ltd, compressed carbon dioxide, austox, australian oxygen and industrial gases pty ltd

Large unused rectangular label made for use on carbon dioxide cylinders with 10% CO2 printed on it. Beige with black lettering.

label, cylinder, cig, carbon dioxide, commonwealth industrial gases ltd