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- 1530s
- 1880s
- Patient Care|Vaccination
Whittemore's Automatic Vaccinator
https://mhc.andornot.com/en/permalink/artifact9882
- Dates
- 1860
- 1890
- circa 1860-1890
- Collection
- University Health Network - Academy of Medicine Collection
- Category
- Patient Care Artifacts
- Vaccination
- Classification
- Patient Care
- Vaccination
- Accession Number
- 1930.3.1 a-b
- Description
- Nickle-plated brass vaccinator (a) in brown leather covered wooden case (b) with interior of blue velvet; rectangular vaccinator has finger hole on one end, thumb-worked single-action and hollow needle.
1 image
- Accession Number
- 1930.3.1 a-b
- Category
- Patient Care Artifacts
- Vaccination
- Classification
- Patient Care
- Vaccination
- MeSH Heading
- Vaccination
- Smallpox Virus
- Immunization
- Public Health
- Description
- Nickle-plated brass vaccinator (a) in brown leather covered wooden case (b) with interior of blue velvet; rectangular vaccinator has finger hole on one end, thumb-worked single-action and hollow needle.
- Number Of Parts
- 2
- Part Names
- a - vaccinator - Length 6.0 cm x Width 0.5 cm x Depth 4.5 cm
- b - box
- Provenance
- Acquired from the Academy of Medicine; donated by Dr. Gilbert Parker.
- Maker
- Codman & Shurtleff
- Site Made (City)
- Boston
- Site Made (State)
- Massachusetts
- Site Made (Country)
- United States of America
- Dates
- 1860
- 1890
- circa 1860-1890
- Date Remarks
- Patent date of 1866 stamped on vaccinator
- Material
- leather: brown
- fabric: dark blue
- metal: silver
- Inscriptions
- Stamped on vaccinator: "WHITTEMORE'S // PATENT // FEB. 21, 1866"
- Permanent Location
- Storage Room 0010
- 0010-D6-5
- Temporary Location
- (a): On exhibit “Growing Pains: the 1867 Kingston General Hospital Crisis” at Museum of Health Care, 25 June 2017.
- Condition Remarks
- Case hinge broken; operable; #2: vaccinator is in good condition, with no active corrosion; minor metal wear in the form of fingerprints on the lever and body; parts move freely; case is in fair condition; leather is dry and brittle; top lid covering is totally detached; leather well worn at top and bottom and along edges; velvet lining is slightly faded; round velvet-covered piece in bottom of case is loose; front eye hook moves freely
- Copy Type
- Original
- Reference Types
- Internet
- Reference Comments
- http://obgynmedicalantiques.com/med-vaccination-1/whittemores-automatic-vaccinator
- Research Facts
- In using the device, the forefinger is passed into the ring and the thumb pressed upon the lever, by which the perforator is raised, and upon reaching a point is deployed by the force of a spring, and, slightly puncturing the skin deposits the virus. Thus, in a single, easy motion, a vaccination is performed. “The pain attending its use is so slight, as rarely to awaken a sleeping child, while the operation is rendered much more certain than by other methods.”
- At the time Whittemore’s vaccinator was available, just smallpox had a vaccine, with rubella, measles, mumps, polio and other dreaded diseases still running unchecked.
- The tip of the vaccinator is a hollow tube for holding the vaccine or serum. It is activated by a lever on the top, which both cocks and releases the blade. These are often mistaken for bleeders.
- Exhibit History
- "When Medicine Met Science," Museum of Health Care, April 29, 2003 (a) - 25 Jan 2017
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