Antiseptic machine, England, 1879
Anthony Bell, a surgeon based in Newcastle, patented the design for his device in 1879. The machine was used to make the surrounding air antiseptic. The hammer tapped the base of a small container of medicated powder, rather like an upside down salt shaker. The powder was sprinkled into the path of a fan in the tinned cylinder at the back of the machine. Air from the fan was propelled through a piece of gauze sprayed with carbolic acid. The medicated powder and the carbolic acid combined to rid the air of germs.
Object number:
A600319
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: antiseptic machine
machine used to make the atmosphere antispetic
Glossary: carbolic acid
A strong disinfectant used for cleansing wounds. It is rarely used today, although it can still be found in mouthwash.
Glossary: antisepsis
The practice of using antiseptic drugs to eliminate harmful micro-organisms.
Glossary: germ
Tiny organisms that cause disease. 'Germ' is now a term that is applied loosely to many micro-organisms, including bacteria, viruses and fungi.