Historical information

The Wangensteen suction apparatus was developed by Owen Harding Wangensteen, the Chief of Surgery at the University of Minnesota. The Wangensteen suction apparatus is a modified siphon used to maintain constant negative pressure to treat small bowel obstruction. It is attached to a duodenal tube and relieves gastric and intestinal distention caused by retention of fluid.

Significance

This is the only suction apparatus in the collection and was used by nurses when caring for some patients following bowel surgery.

Physical description

Two large glass flagons, one brown, one clear in colour. One 500 ml glass bottle with graduated markings and metal screw top lid with broken spigot glued into hole in lid. Three pieces of tubing, one with broken spigot inserted in one end, one with radio opaque markings and one with intact spigot in one end and rigid plastic tubing with bevelled end inserted through one hole of a two hole rubber bung.

Inscriptions & markings

Brown glass flagon has raised printing on base - ISM 539, trade mark G over M above number, below number is 1, previous catalogue number on label on bottle and remnants of another label.
Clear glass flagon has raised printing on base - IS 2013 with trade mark G over M above number, below number is 5.
The 500 ml glass bottle has capital I on base with number 7 below I and unknown marking above I. DIN ml on neck of bottle, 100 - 500 graduated markings on body of bottle.