Collection close-up archive
Ergot Aseptic c. 1920
Ergot has been used for centuries to hasten childbirth by causing violent contractions of the uterus. One hundred years ago, ampoules of ergo aseptic like these were a common intravenous treatment for postpartum haemorrhage.
Ergot is a fungus that attacks rye and can be extremely toxic. It contains lysergic acid, from which LSD is derived. Long-term ergot poisoning, or ergotism, causes psychosis, mania, blood constriction, hallucinations and seizures.
Epidemics of the disease have been identified throughout history. Being impervious to heat and water, the toxic properties of ergo could survive being baked into rye bread, and tainted crops could affect entire communities. There was no known cure for ergotism, nor was there knowledge of the source of the poison. As rye bread was a staple food in many parts of Europe and America, sufferers of ergotism would often continue to imbibe ergot-laden food. The resulting vasoconstriction would cause dry gangrene, oedema and ultimately the loss of limbs.
Ergo-induced hysteria has been put forward as a theory behind the ‘bewitchment’ that spurred the Salem witch in 1692. In France it has been linked to the Dancing plague of 1518 and the Great Fear of 1789 at the start of the French Revolution.
Junker’s inhaler
Chloroform was discovered at around the same time as Morton’s demonstration of the anaesthetic effects of ether in 1847. Initially, the vapours were inhaled from a handkerchief or piece of lint held over the patient’s face, but both substances were found to damage the skin so various wire frames were made to prevent this happening. Droppers were used to administer the ansaesthetic - the patient breathed the vapour of liquid chloroform dropped onto the fabric of the mask (the ‘draw-over’ method).
Dr Ferdinand E. Junker was an Austrian who had worked in Germany, Japan and England. In 1860, Junker devised a system where chloroform vapour could be administered directly to the mask without using the dropper method (the ‘blow-over’ method). A rubber bellows similar to those used on the everyday sphygmomanometer was used to pump air which had passed over chloroform in the bottom of a glass container into the inspiratory limb and directly to the patient’s mask. Both limbs were labelled. The inhaler has a hook so that it could be suspended around the neck of the anaesthetist, keeping it in a vertical position and preventing liquid chloroform from running directly into the mask. Despite various modifications to prevent it, the concentration of agent reaching the patient was difficult to quantitate and would quite often be excessive.
The Museum currently has a display on the development of ether, which can be seen on level 3 of the Mayne Medical Building.
Ashton automatic injector
The Ashton automatic injector was developed in the 1950s for patients who were apprehensive to self-inject. Many were diabetics who required several daily injections.
The device was spring-loaded with a Luer lock syringe and needle, filled with the appropriate dose of insulin. A patient would hold the injector firmly against the skin and squeeze the trigger, injecting the needle to the depth of the hypodermis. The maker claimed that the procedure was almost painless.
It was invented and designed by Mr. Donald Lewis of Port Lincoln, and manufactured by Ashton & Co. Ltd in Hilton, South Australia. Problems with bacterial contamination and proper sterilisation meant the automatic injector had a limited production life.
The Marks-Hirschfeld Museum collection includes three Ashton automatic injectors, two of which are in their original boxes with instruction manuals.
Dr Petz’ stomach stapler
The first surgical stapler was developed in 1908 by Dr Húmer Hültl in Hungary. While it worked well and was a revolution in stomach surgery, it was heavy, cumbersome and expensive. Surgeons were reticent to adapt to this new technology.
In 1920 another Hungarian, Dr Aladár Petz improved on the original stapler by making it lighter, easier to use and more affordable. The Von Petz stapler in the Marks-Hirschfeld Museum collection is a model that was adopted all over the world and was in use until the early 1970s. This stapler is in excellent condition and includes the original silver staples that were used with this machine.
The Museum holds an extensive collection of surgical equipment, with many objects that demonstrate the evolution of surgical technology and innovation.
“I designed the gastro-intestinal suturing instrument in 1920 while working as an assistant professor. The idea stemmed from the need that the surgeon has to open the digestive tract with its highly contaminated lumen, there-by, risking consequent peritonitis with its associated in-crease in mortality. Simple manual suturing of the infected lumen of the intestine is time consuming, thus pro-longing surgery and increasing the risk of mortality for patients under anaesthesia.’
Dr Aladár Petz