Name/Title
Mask, AnesthesiaDescription
From East Carolina University: "During the Civil War, Confederate doctors administered chloroform by folding a towel or napkin into a cone. The chloroform was then dropped onto the cone and the cone held near the patient’s nose so that the anesthetic could be inhaled. If the doctor did not use great care, the chemical would burn the patient. The mask had to be held precisely one half inch from the face. The anesthesia mask helped prevent burning the patient’s skin. The mask could also be used for ether, a different and more expensive anesthetic. The mask is made of metal and is covered with a piece of cloth. The covered mask is placed over the patient’s nose, and the anesthetic is dropped onto the cloth. While breathing normally, the patient slips into a drug-induced sleep.
Date
1860 - 1865"
The ring is marked with the name "The FA Koch & Co.", was a company that made surgical instruments, knives, scissors, and straight razors in the late 1800's up until 1900s."
The mask was made in Germany.
04/30/19 - Mask used during the Civil War era. A medic or nurse would use the mask by placing it over a patient's mouth and nose and dropping chloroform or ether on the cloth. This would sedate the patient as he inhaled it during the operation.
The ring of this mask is marked with the name "The FA Knoch & Co," which was a company that made sugical instruments, knives, scissors, and straight razors in the late 1800s up until the 1900s. The mask was made in Germany.Collection
Found In CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2016.004Source or Donor
found in collectionAcquisition Method
Bequest,Collected byMade/Created
Date made
May 7, 2016Notes
Made: GermanyCreate Date
May 7, 2016Update Date
January 6, 2024